The Last Volturi Descendant
by EyeSeeIcy
Summary: AU: Six year old Isabella Swan is orphaned after a car accident leaves both Renee and Charlie dead. Unbeknownst to Bella, She is the last direct human descendant to Aro Volturi, who decides to take her back to Italy. How will her life be affected being raised by "traditional" vampires and with such immeasurable power? A bit OOC for Bella.
1. Chapter 1: Orphaned

**A/N: Hello everyone! I loved reading fics about young Bella and her joining the Volturi, so I thought I'd try my hand at combining the two by writing my own. This is my first ever fanfiction, so please don't take out your pitchforks for any disparaging mistakes I make. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a review regarding your thoughts** — **either good or bad, I thrive on feedback.**

 ***** **As promised, I reworked this chapter to make Bella more childlike. Let me know what you think!**

 **(Updated 12/28/16)**

 **(Bella is currently six years old)**

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer reserves all rights to any characters mentioned/used**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Orphaned**

The doorbell rang.

"Coming!" I heard my friend Sarah yell out next to me. She always looked after me when I was alone. I bet it's Mommy and Daddy! Eager, I got off the sofa and walked to the front door, tripping a little. Soon after, Sarah's hand reached out above me and pulled the door open.

A man stood outside in the dark, holding an umbrella—it was raining. I knew him! It was Mark, daddy's fishing friend! He also worked with daddy. A shiny golden badge was on his dark blue shirt, and his police car was parked behind him.

"Hi, mister Mark!" I greeted, waving my hand.

He glanced down and gave me a small smile. "Hey there, Bella," he answered back. Something was wrong. I couldn't explain it, but it felt… off. His voice, I realized, was low and sad. And his eyes looked like they were wet.

"What can I do for you, Officer?" asked Sarah, who was holding the door open.

"Umm, I need to talk to Bella. It's about her parents." Again, his voice was sad. Why? I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad happened.

"Oh okay, do you want to come inside? So you can talk in private?" Sarah suggested.

Mark closed his umbrella and placed it on the ground. "No, I don't think that will be necessary. Bella," Mark addressed, moving down onto one knee. His hands gently gripped me, holding me tightly. "I have some bad news. I'm not sure how to tell you. If there's a better way."

He took a deep breath. "Charlie and Renee were involved in a car accident tonight. Looks like Charlie lost control of the vehicle before crashing. It might've been caused by the heavy rain or another car. They were both killed instantly. I'm sorry, Bella, I'm so sorry."

They were… killed? What did that mean? I didn't understand. "What do you mean?" I questioned, confused. Mommy always told me to ask if I didn't know what someone was saying.

Mark looked like he was in pain when he sighed. "It means they're gone, Bella. They can't come home."

"Where did they go?" I demanded as water began to brim in my eyes, spilling over onto my cheeks. Mark was scaring me. Mommy and Daddy was only going out for dinner. Why wouldn't they come back?

He hesitated before answering. It looked like he was thinking about something. "They went somewhere far, far away, Bella. A place where your dad and mom are both really happy and safe," Mark explained softly.

"Why can't I go with them there?" It didn't seem like a lot to ask for. I just wanted be with my Mommy and Daddy again.

Mark paused for a moment. "Do you remember what I told you before? About the car accident?" I nodded. "They went to a place only for grown-ups right after," he said slowly. "They aren't able to come home. Not ever. But I promise you, your parents are happy there, even if they can't ever visit you anymore. And I know they want you to be happy, too."

I started to cry. It felt like I was swimming underwater in the pool—I couldn't breathe. I wanted to stop crying—I hated crying in front of people—but as hard as I tried, my vision would be blurred again by tears. It was pointless.

I buried my face into Mark's shoulder. "But they said they were coming back," I whispered. Saying it made me feel like they would come back.

"It's okay, Bella, it's going to be okay," he comforted quietly. His hands rubbed my back in calming circles.

"What should we do?" asked Sarah, after I had finished crying a few minutes later. I rested my head against her hip. I was sleepy. My eyelids felt heavy. But I fought them—I wanted to stay awake.

Mark sighed and stood up. "I'll have to contact Child Services in the morning. See if we can locate any living relatives and inform them. If not, we'll have to consider adoption or foster care." I didn't like the sound of that. What was 'child services' and 'adoption' and 'foster care'?

"What about tonight? Who's going to stay with her? She can't be alone," Sarah added, a worried expression on her face.

Mark scratched his head. "I don't know. I suppose we can have an officer posted throughout the night or have them occasionally check up on the house during their shift."

"But what about—" Sarah began, but suddenly stopped and looked down at me. "Bella, would you like to go inside? I think it's time for bed," she prompted.

I wasn't going to argue—I was so tired. I had been waiting for Mommy and Daddy to come home all night. "Okay," I said quietly. I hugged Mark and Sarah before turning around and entered my home. I walked to the bathroom, turned on the light, and quickly brushed my teeth just like mommy always made me do. When I was finished, I climbed into bed and laid down under the covers, resting my head on the soft pillow. I fell asleep instantly, dreaming of my happiest moments with my Mommy and Daddy.

The next few days, I visited the police station a lot. Mark would would take me in the morning and bring me home during the afternoon. A friendly lady named Ashley talked to me a lot about my relatives—if I knew where they lived, or if I could remember some of their names. I didn't though—I couldn't remember anyone else but Grandma. Mommy said she'd 'passed away' last year. Mark told me not to worry, and that he would find someone I knew that could take care of me. Sarah continued to visit me around the afternoon, and would look after me until I was asleep at night.

After my visit to the police station today, Mark brought me home as usual. There was some good news. Ashley and Mark both told me they found someone from Daddy's old hometown—was it Spoons? Or Forks? His name was Billy. He was married and had two girls and a boy. He also said he would be willing to take care of me. I think he was one of daddy's friends before he moved away with mommy.

I wasn't sure I wanted to move. I couldn't remember anything or anyone from daddy's old town, even though mommy once said I was born there. I would be moving in with somebody I didn't know anything about. It made me scared.

"Are you worried, Bella?" Mark asked as he led me to the front door, holding my hand. I hadn't realized we had gotten out of the car and started walking.

"A little," I admitted, blushing. How did he see I was so afraid?

Mark's warm smile made me feel everything was going to be okay. "Don't be scared. I've talked to Billy and his wife about you. They're very excited to meet you. And they both expressed their condolences."

"What does con-dolences mean?" I inquired, looking up at him.

"Err… it's a way of somebody saying they feel sorry for you," Mark explained after thinking for a moment. I frowned. I didn't want anybody to feel sorry for me—they would feel sad, too. I didn't want that.

Mark unlocked the door and held it open for me. I whispered out a 'thank you'. For the rest of the day, I worked on my school homework. Since I had missed a few days because of my visits to the police station, I had to make up a lot of worksheets. Thankfully, both Mark and Sarah helped me, especially on math. Math was hard!

When I had finished, it was already time for dinner. I drank some of the chicken noodle soup Sarah made and got ready for bed. "Goodnight, Bella," I heard her say from the doorway once I was in bed.

"Goodnight, Sarah," I said sleepily. She closed the door, and my room became dark and scary. I wished mommy and daddy were here, they would always tell me there were no monsters under my bed or in my closet. I grabbed the comforter and pulled, covering me. It made me feel safe and protected. I yawned, and fell asleep.

I awoke to strange, musical sounds.


	2. Chapter 2: Friendly Visitors

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Thank you for all the support I received for my first chapter. I am aiming for at least 1 chapter per week. As always, feel free to critique my writing by leaving a review and forgive me for any grammatical mistakes I so happen to make.**

 ***Updated (12/29/16)**

 **Chapter 2: Friendly Visitors**

A gentle shaking roused me. "Isabella Swan? Can you wake up please?" a deep voice asked. It reminded me of daddy—calm and soothing.

"Daddy?" I mumbled aloud, sitting up slowly and rubbing sleep away from my eyes. It felt like I had just closed my eyes a minute ago. I looked around, trying to find the voice. I quickly realized there were two very tall people standing by the door. They were strangers—I didn't recognize them. One of them was much larger than the other. They were also covered in dull gray clothing, like a blanket was draped over them—a cloak.

"I'm sorry, Isabella, but I'm not your father," the same person said. It came from the smaller, shorter man.

I pulled the bed cover closer. "Who are you? Why are you here?" My voice trembled, shaky with fright. I was so scared, and I wanted my mommy and daddy, but they weren't home yet. Then I remembered—they never could come home anymore. They were gone. To my surprise, my eyes began to tear up. I'd missed my mommy and daddy so much. I wanted to talk and hug them again, but I couldn't. Suddenly, I felt myself being picked up and held against something hard and cold.

Startled, I blinked away the tears so I could see. "Shh, shh, don't cry," the large man shushed soothingly, his voice deeper than the first. How did he get to me so quickly? Wasn't he standing by the door? Why didn't I hear him coming?

"Sorry," I whispered in apology. I hated crying, especially in front of people I didn't know. But I couldn't help it! "I miss my Mommy and Daddy," I whimpered.

He shot the other person a look—of helplessness?—before he turned back to me, pulling me closer. He wiped dry my cheeks with the sleeves of his cloak. The action was very soothing. I tilted my head up to inspect him. He was very pretty. His face was friendly, like a happy dog, and had short, black hair. His eyes were a bright red color—it reminded me of strawberries, my favorite fruit. Was he wearing contacts? Mommy had wore colored ones once and it was weird—it changed her eye color. He smelled nice, too. I didn't know the name of the smell, but it was lovely. I didn't understand why I could feel myself relaxing with them. They were strangers! Daddy always warned me not to talk to or trust strangers. But I still felt a sense of safety and security with them. It was confusing why I would feel it with the man holding me when I should be scared.

"It's okay, little one. My name is Felix. This is my friend, Demetri," he introduced in a friendly way. A murmured 'hello' came from his friend standing behind him. I shifted sideways so I could examine him. He was pretty like Felix,too. He also had the same colored eyes. The difference was his longer hair—a dark coffee-brown that stopped at his shoulders.

I waved hesitantly at him and he gave me a smile in response. "Hi Felix, Hi Demetri," I said shyly, blushing a little. "My name is Bella." Felix's name suited him perfectly—it was a strong name that matched his large size. Demetri's name also fit him too—I couldn't explain it, but it just did. I smiled to myself. They weren't strangers anymore, now that I knew their names. They could be my friends! Then I remembered—Felix had called me Isabella. How did he know my name? I had never met him before. "Felix?" I addressed slowly, still getting used to saying it. I looked up at his face. "How did you know my name?"

"Umm…" was his only answer.

Demetri rolled his eyes like Mommy would sometimes do and stepped closer. "We know your name because a distant relative of yours told us," he explained carefully. "He was informed of your becoming an orphan and dispatched me and Felix to bring you to him. He's offered a place in his home to you."

I was both shocked and confused. I didn't realize there were other family members still alive. Mommy and Daddy didn't talk a lot about family. Yet someone was willing to adopt me, and I didn't even know anything about him! "Where does he live?" I asked, curious to find out more. "And what is his name?"

"His name is Aro," replied Demetri. "And he lives in Volterra, Italy, along with the rest of his family." Italy? Where was that? He had a family?

"Am I going to meet them, too?" I said excitedly. I wanted to talk to and make new friends with my relatives.

"Of course, Bella. You'll meet everyone," Felix promised with a smile.

All of the sudden, I became afraid. "What if they don't like me?" I whispered to Felix. I hoped they would, but I wasn't sure. I didn't want to upset anyone.

"I wouldn't worry about that," he quickly reassured. "In fact, just about everyone I know is anxious to meet you," he added.

I nodded. "How will we get there?" I questioned curiously. I didn't want to bother Felix or Demetri or Aro. I knew traveling cost a lot of money because Mommy and Daddy and I had gone somewhere fun and rode roller coasters—they had worked hard to save up money before we could go.

"We're going to the airport and taking a flight there," said Felix

"We're flying?" I said, terrified. Not only was I causing Aro to spend a lot of money on me, but I was going to be on an airplane! I didn't trust them. They flew in the sky without needing anything to touch the ground. How did that work? "I don't wanna go," I mumbled, closing my eyes and burying my face into Felix.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he inquired worriedly. I shook my head. "Please, Bella? You can tell me anything," Felix begged.

"I don't like flying," I admitted weakly after a minute, blushing. Why couldn't I be braver? "And I don't want to be a burden. I don't want you to spend money." I didn't like people going out of their way to help me. It made me feel embarrassed that I couldn't do it myself.

To my surprise, Felix laughed loudly. It sounded like heavy ringing bells. "Bella, you could hardly burden us even if you tried. The only way would be for you to not go. And the cost of plane tickets does not hinder us in any way," he grinned, amused.

I peeked up at Felix, my mood brightening. "Really?" I was eager to meet Aro, but I had been worried of being too troublesome to him.

"Yes, Bella," he said with a grin.

Suddenly, I remembered about Sarah and Mark. Should I tell them I was leaving? What if I wasn't able to say goodbye? I didn't want them to worry. Also Billy! What was going to happen to him? Would he be okay with me not joining his family? I felt so conflicted.

"Felix? Can I say goodbye to Mark and Sarah first?" Felix gave me a confused look. I realized I hadn't told him about them yet. "Sarah takes care of me when I get home from school or the police station. Mark is a policeman that helped me find someone I knew so they could adopt me," I explained.

Felix and Demetri glanced at each other briefly. Demetri spoke this time. "I… don't think that's a good idea," he answered slowly, looking sadly at me. "Aro asked us to make this trip as quietly as possible. He is… a very rich and powerful man, and doesn't like it when others get involved in family matters."

"Oh," I said, dejected. I really wanted to say goodbye and thank them for taking care of me. And I wanted to apologize to Billy for leaving without meeting him.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but we need to leave now. Our flight departs soon," Demetri reminded.

"Okay." I didn't know why I was tired, and being held in Felix's arms was making me sleepy. Which reminded me—why did he feel so cold? Did he need a jacket? I shut my eyes when Felix began walking through the empty house with Demetri behind. I barely felt his body movement—it was very smooth, like he was rolling on wheels than actually walking.

I opened my eyes when I heard the door open. I realized I was tired because it was still dark out—early in the morning. The darkness was scary. I whimpered to myself, grabbing a fistful of Felix's cloak with my hand. He looked down at me, confused at first, before understanding crossed his face. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he confidently assured.

I believed him. There was something about his words and presence that made me feel safe. I couldn't explain it. Maybe it was his huge size? I relaxed and rested my head on his shoulder when he walked towards a large, black car with darkened windows and stopped.

"Is this yours?" I asked, awed. It looked powerful and fast—and expensive.

"It's just a rental," Demetri replied casually as he stepped in front and opened the backseat door. Felix gently lowered me onto the soft and comfortable tan leather seat. He was about to close the door when I spoke.

"You said you would protect me," I accused, panic in my voice. I didn't want to be left alone in the dark! It scared me. Felix let out a quiet sigh and climbed in after me. I smiled happily as he picked me up and cradled me again. Demetri got into the driver's seat and started the car. I turned to look back at the dark house—a place where I used to call home. Now, I wasn't sure if I was able to anymore. I felt myself relax into Felix's cold and cloaked arms and fell asleep.

 **So what are your opinions? My biggest fear is that I am making Bella a bit too... unchildlike. Or do you think her current observations and behavior fits her age? I don't know! Anyways, the next chapter should highlight her arrival to Volterra.**


	3. Chapter 3: Volterra

**A/N: Hello everyone! (I really need to work on another greeting). This definitely took longer than I anticipated, but I hope it was worth it! Anyways, feel free to voice your opinions in a review and be on the lookout for any mistakes I made.**

 **(Updated 12/31/16)**

 **Chapter 3: Volterra**

Flying from Phoenix to Italy wasn't as scary as I'd thought. I was surprised when I woke up in a small private jet and not one of the big jumbo planes I'd always see. I thought we would have taken the trip in one of those, but I guess Aro didn't want me on a plane with strangers.

Although I was afraid of flying, I slept with Felix holding me, which made it a lot better. Demetri would sometimes wake me up and serve food. I also saw them making faces at it whenever I ate. Did they not like pasta?

After we landed at the airport, Demetri and Felix quickly led me outside—it was nighttime. However, the bright lights from the airport made it less scary. When we left through the main doors, I realized that Demetri was gone. I looked up at Felix and tugged the sleeves of his cloak. "Where did Demetri go?" I asked quietly. I felt sad that he would leave without saying goodbye first.

"Don't fret, Bella. Demetri left to go pick up a car," Felix explained with a smile. I noticed his eyes—they were a lot darker red than I'd remembered. Why did it change color? Did he switch his contacts? I didn't remember him doing anything like that on the plane though.

Soon after, a black car—like the one from Phoenix—stopped by the road in front of us. Felix reached down, taking my hand with his, and walked to the car. He opened the door and lifted me into the backseat. I crawled onto his lap once he got in and immediately leaned against him. His cool temperature felt nice, but I wondered why he was never warm. I also spotted Demetri sitting in the driver's seat—his eye color was darker, too.

"Demetri? Where are we?" I inquired curiously.

"We're in Florence, Bella. We still have approximately twenty minutes left to travel before we reach Volterra," he answered politely. My stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. I was so nervous. Twenty more minutes until I would meet Aro, my distant relative. I wondered what he would be like. I hoped he would be nice, like Felix and Demetri.

I think Felix noticed my nervousness because he hugged me tightly. "It's going to be fine," he murmured into my ear. "Sleep now. I'll wake you when we arrive." I nodded, closing my eyes and relaxed as he cradled me in his arms. I smelled his pleasant smell, which made me sleepy. It seemed like I had just closed my eyes when a gentle but firm shaking woke me. I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes with my fists. I still felt tired. I wanted to sleep more.

"Bella, we're here," Demetri called out from the front seat.

"Okay," I responded hesitantly, quickly feeling nervous again. We were here. I was finally going to meet Aro. Suddenly, the door next to me flew open and I jumped, startled. Demetri gave me an apologetic smile while Felix carefully got out of the car with me still in his arms. I frowned to myself. I swore Demetri was still sitting in the front seat. How did he get to my door so fast?

Demetri and Felix began walking away from the parked car, leaving it in a neat and clean garage. Several other cars were there too, many with bright colors. We took an elevator ride and I quickly realized that the garage was actually under the ground. We went through a small shop, like where Daddy would take his car to get fixed, and entered the street.

Taking a look around, I saw a long and tall stone wall that covered the houses behind it. Was this Volterra? Demetri noticed my gaze and smiled. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked. I nodded. The large metal gates, funny arches, and the dusty-looking walls gave it an 'old' feeling. I liked it.

Felix and Demetri quickly made their way down the street, taking the dark and scary alleyways. They seemed really relaxed, however. Were they not afraid of the dark? After walking for a long time, we reached the stone wall that I saw before and continued walking next to it until Demetri stopped at a wooden door. There were some bushes and plants that covered it up, making it difficult to see.

Without warning, the door blew open from the inside. It was a brown blur—very fast. I let out a small shriek of surprise and quickly buried my face into Felix. I breathed in his nice smell, calming me down and making me feel safe again.

"Jane, look at what you've done. You scared her!" I heard Felix chastise someone.

"Well, it's not my fault humans can't withstand a little speed," I heard a high-pitched voice retort. Curious to see who was talking, I glanced around and saw a short, black cloaked girl standing in front of Felix and Demetri.

Jane was pretty like my friends, but her face was a bit more rounded. It wasn't straight and… sharp like Felix's. Maybe she was younger? She certainly looked young. Jane was barely half of Demetri's height. She also had long, pale brown hair that reminded me of butterscotch candy. Her eyes were the usual strawberry red. They weren't dark like Felix's or Demetri's. She didn't seem all that friendly, but Mommy always told me never judge a person 'by their cover'.

"Hello," I greeted her, timidly waving my hand. Jane gave me a small, forced but polite smile and gestured for us to go through the door. I sighed very quietly. She didn't like me. But I saw her smile a little, as if she'd heard me sigh, when we passed her so maybe she could still be my friend. I giggled when Demetri and Felix both had to duck their heads. It was funny to see them trying to get past without hitting the wall. Felix turned to look down at me with an amused expression and I hid my face again, embarrassed. But I couldn't stop giggling.

After we went through the door, Jane looked like she was dancing as she walked in front of us. Was she a dancer? I got the feeling that she was the one in charge, even though she was much younger than Felix or Demetri. I noticed her cloak was almost black—not full black like I had thought before. Was she in charge because of her darker cloak? I also saw that each step the three of them made were together, like they were robots.

Jane led us through the confusing and maze-like streets, taking the alleyways like Felix and Demetri. I was worried that we were lost. Mommy and I had done that once, and it took Daddy an hour to find us in the mall. However, we entered a very large area—a plaza?—and made our way to the many stores that were all lined up nearby.

Jane stopped in front of a small shop. It looked like they sold old things. Mommy had went into one before—an antique store? I was confused. What were we doing here? Were we shopping for a gift? It didn't fit the place I had in mind—I'd been expecting a house. But, we stepped inside, so maybe it was the right place. The room was cold—it was air conditioned. A light gray carpet covered the floor, the walls were painted with a nice cream color, and some long light bulbs above. There were important-looking items locked behind the glass counters.

I spotted a young woman as we made our way deeper inside into the store. She was sitting behind a desk with papers all around on top. She was pretty too, but not as pretty as Felix or Demetri or Jane. She was tall, had dark skin, long dark brown hair and green eyes. It reminded me of the girls on the cover of Daddy's magazines. Mommy didn't like them. To my surprise, she greeted my friends by name.

"Welcome back Jane, Felix, Demetri."

"Gianna," Jane responded as she, Felix and Demetri all pulled the tops of their cloak—the hood?—back from their faces. I blushed slightly when Gianna's gaze turned from Jane to Felix to me. I could tell she was surprised to see me being cradled in his arms. I knew I could walk on my own and I felt bad for Felix having to carry me around, but his embrace always made me feel safe and secure. And I think he didn't mind it.

"Aro is waiting for you in the main chamber," Gianna informed Jane. She kept staring at me while she talked, which made me feel embarrassed and I blushed. Why did she keep looking at me?

I was startled by a low but loud growl. I quickly found the source—it came from Jane. She sounded exactly like the angry lion I'd heard when I went to the Phoenix zoo with my parents. She looked just as scary, too. Jane was glaring at Gianna, who had finally turned away from me. Gianna seemed to lower herself even more into the chair, and she looked afraid. I saw Jane's eyes—they were no longer red, but now black. How did it change color so fast?

I reached out for Jane and Felix brought me next to her. I gently patted the top of her butterscotch candy hair. It felt very smooth, like one of Mommy's dresses. Jane twirled around in surprise. "It's okay," I whispered. I didn't want her to be mad at Gianna. She was just curious.

Jane stared at me now—her black eyes were strange but pretty, too. I felt embarrassed and bad about touching her hair without asking first. I blushed and mumbled out an apology. It felt like I could never be friends with her. But I still hoped that we could. I liked Jane. After a minute, she turned around and walked toward some elevators in the back. For someone so small, Jane could be extremely scary.

"Wow, she didn't rip your throat out," Felix muttered to himself. I frowned. Rip my throat out? What did that mean? Could she actually do that? I peeked up at Felix, who seemed to know why I was confused. He just shook his head. "You'll understand later."

Jane was waiting for us in the elevator and held door open. She shot me a sly smile, like she had heard what Felix said. She hit a button once we got in. Again, I wondered where we were going. Was this place where Aro lived? The elevator went up, and I saw more cloaked people when the doors opened. They were very pretty and pale, too. I wanted to be brave, but I still was scared—they were strangers. Some of them looked at me curiously as we walked, which made me blush.

We stopped in front of two very large, tall, and golden doors. It had lots of details on it, like loops and circles. It was very beautiful. Felix slowly lowered me to the floor, and caught me when I wobbled a little. I said 'thank you' to him quietly and waited. Jane gently pushed on the doors, and to my surprise, it opened. I frowned to myself. How did she do that? It looked heavy, and it didn't look like she would to be able to open it—Jane was small. However, I didn't get to ask because we quickly stepped into a big and round room.

 **So what did you think? Personally, I felt that it was a bit "choppy" in some parts, like I failed to transition between events clearly or smoothly. Oh, and the next chapter will definitely be Bella meeting Aro for the first time!**


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting Aro

**A/N: Sorry for the late update! I got caught up with schoolwork and writing term papers... always fun! As a result, I feel like this chapter is definitely "in the rough". I don't know, I feel like it doesn't transition and flow as smooth as I wanted it to be. Anyways, I am going to spend this week revising my past chapters to six-year-old-ify Bella's perspective as many of the critiques is that she is too rational/intelligent for age** **. As always, forgive me for any grammatical mistakes and feel free to leave a review to critique my (hopefully not terrible) writing.**

 **(Updated 1/2/17)**

 **Chapter 4: Meeting Aro**

The room was dark—and scary. I grabbed Felix's cold hand, and he looked down at me. "Don't worry," he reassured with his deep voice. It always made me feel safe. There were tall windows very high above the ground. Some light came in from the outside, which helped me see. I looked around and saw many strangers that were standing still. They all looked the same—really white skin, strawberry-red eyes, and pretty like Felix and Demetri and Jane. The only difference was the colored clothing. Some had light gray cloaks like Felix's and others were much darker but not as dark as Jane's. Except for one person.

He was wearing a black cloak—the darkest color in the room. He was also sitting down on a large wooden chair, with two empty ones next to him. He greeted us when we entered. "Welcome back, my dear Jane! I see you've brought me Felix and Demetri." His gaze turned to me. "And Isabella! Wonderful!" he sighed in a happy tone. His voice soft and quiet, like a kitten.

I felt scared. Who was he? He didn't seem scary, but how did he know my name? I glanced up at Felix for help, but he was staring at the same man. We stopped when Jane reached the middle of the room. There was a metal circle—a grill or grate?—that covered a hole next to her. I wondered what it was for. It reminded me of a sink—where the water would go.

The stranger stood up and made his way toward us. It didn't seem like he wasn't even walking—he barely moved. "Hello, my dear Isabella," the man said gently, peering down at me with a friendly smile when he stopped in front of me. "I am Aro Volturi."

Aro! He wasn't a scary stranger, he was my relative! "Hello, mister Volturi," I greeted back shyly, blushing. "Please call me Bella." Aro didn't look like a relative. He looked more like Felix and Demetri and Jane. He had very long black hair, the same color as his cloak. His eyes were red, but they were… dusty? It wasn't a bright red, it was cloudy or dirty. His face was also less white than the others. It was… clearer.

"Bella," Aro repeated, his smile growing bigger. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. And call me Aro as well, there is no need for such formalities."

"It is nice to meet you, too, Aro." I answered back. I couldn't stop smiling. There was something about Aro that I liked. He was nice and polite.

"Bella, I apologize for behaving so rudely, but am I to assume you know of my offer?" His offer? I tried to think—what offer? Oh! He wanted to give me a place in his home! I nodded, remembering. "Good. But be warned, this is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are certain consequences and advantages if you choose to join my family. You can always refuse; if you do, Felix and Demetri will bring you back to Phoenix," he added.

I nodded again and closed my eyes. Did I want to leave behind Mark, Sarah, my home? But… what if I did join Aro's family? Would I be able to see and talk to my new friends Felix and Demetri? Were they a part of Aro's family? I opened my eyes slowly. "Aro?" I asked slowly. "Can I see Felix and Demetri if I join your family?"

"Yes, my dear, you would. Quite often, in fact," assured Aro. I thought about my home again. I suddenly realized that Mommy and Daddy weren't home. Mark had said they were now in a place only for grown-ups. And I couldn't see them anymore. I began to cry. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't stop it! I just wanted to hug my Mommy and Daddy.

"Bella?" Felix spoke with concern. "What's wrong?" I shook my head. He lowered himself and gently wiped my face with his cloak. It felt soothing. I didn't want to tell him I was thinking of Mommy and Daddy. It would make him sad, too. I rested myself against him, calming down.

"I see she already has you wrapped around her finger, Felix," Aro chuckled after a moment, amused. He was concerned, like Felix, but relaxed when I'd stopped crying.

Felix sighed. "Yes, Master, she has," he grumbled. Why did he call Aro 'master'? Why didn't he say his name?

Mark told me Mommy and Daddy wanted me to be happy, even though they were gone. I knew I wouldn't be happy at home anymore, but I would be happy with Aro and my new friends, Felix and Demetri. I looked up. "Aro?" I asked again. "Can I join your family?"

"Of course, my dear Bella!" he cried. He spoke with so much eagerness that I giggled. He really did want me to be in his family! Aro leaned forward and reached out his hand. He wanted a handshake! I carefully shook his hand. His skin was different from Felix's. It had the same hardness, yet it also felt weaker. More… fragile. It was also much colder.

I watched Aro's face become confused, then full of wonder. He stared at me, which made me feel nervous. What did I do? I only shook his hand. "How bizarre," Aro murmured to himself. His face was both shocked and interested. "Jane?"

Jane took a step towards him. "Yes, Master?" she answered immediately.

"She appears to be immune to my gift. I'm curious if she's immune to yours," he explained to her. There were loud gasps that came from the people all around the room, startling me. Even Felix gasped. Why did they do that? And what did Aro mean by 'gift'? Did he mean a present?

Jane nodded. She then turned and smiled at me. She looked very pretty. I waited patiently for something to happen. What was she trying to do? Aro began laughing cheerfully after a few seconds. However, Jane did not look happy. She stared at me with the same expression she had at Gianna. It was frightening. I whimpered and grabbed Felix's hand harder and hid behind him. I didn't know what I did to make Jane angry!

"Jane," I heard Aro say, his was voice flat and low. It changed so much from the happy tone he had before. I peeked from Felix's leg. I recognized the look Aro was giving her—disapproval. Jane lowered her head.

"Forgive me, master," she responded quietly. Jane sounded different when she spoke. She didn't have the direct tone I remembered. It was strange to hear her speak without it.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Bella," suggested Aro, gesturing to me.

Jane walked slowly to where I was. "Forgive me, Bella," she pleaded softly. Her red eyes were sad and… remorseful? It felt like this wasn't Jane. And I didn't like it.

I stepped around Felix and walked up to her. "It's okay," I whispered. Her eyes came upward from the ground, looking at me. I didn't know why she was so upset, but I wanted her to be happy again. Even though she would sometimes scare me, I still wanted to be her friend. Jane gave me a small smile before she turned and quickly strode out of the room. Another person followed her. I didn't know who it was, but they had the same colored clothing as Jane's.

"Bella," Aro called out. He was still smiling, but he looked more… careful? Unsure? "I suppose now would be an appropriate time to inform you. We harbor an extremely powerful secret. It is against the law for a human to discover this secret, but because you part of the royal family, you are allowed to know. I'm sure you have noticed abnormalities about us?" he asked slowly. I nodded, remembering the things I'd noticed. Aro, Felix, Demetri, Jane—all of them had red eyes, which I had never seen before. Everyone here was very pretty, had pale skin, and always walked like they were dancing for some reason. They seemed different, but Mommy always said that being different was okay. "You see, Bella, we are not human. We are vampires." His eyes scrutinized me, waiting.

I blinked. Vampires? But… they weren't real. Mommy had once dressed up like one for halloween, and she wanted to be like 'Dracula'. Daddy also told me scary stories about them. Vampires would be burn in the sun, they slept during the day in coffins, they had fangs, and they… drank blood. They couldn't be real. Daddy said so. But a part of me said they were. Why would Felix and Demetri have red eyes? Why did they look the same? I decided to just ask. "Is that why your eyes are red?"

"Yes, my dear," Aro replied calmly.

"Do you burn in the sun?" I inquired next. Aro shook his head. "Do you sleep in coffins?" He shook his head again. He had an amused expression on his face.

"Bella, most of your human stories regarding vampires are simply incorrect. We are much stronger and unburdened than what we are portrayed to be," he clarified. I still felt nervous. Were they really vampires? I was starting to believe that maybe he was telling the truth. Would they want to hurt me?

"Will you drink my blood?" I asked, looking up at him.

I heard Felix make a noise that sounded like he was choking on food. Aro laughed his soft laugh. "No, my dear Bella, no one here will. Our guard will serve to protect you as well."

They wouldn't hurt me. But I already knew that—Felix had held me whenever I cried, and Aro had wanted me to join his family. Did it matter if they were vampires? I smiled to myself. I was okay with them being vampires. Felix and Demetri were still my friends.

"Now, if you will allow me, I would like to confer upon you the title 'Princess of the Volturi'. You are my last living human descendent, and I thought it appropriate that you become a princess," Aro explained slowly.

I was shocked. 'Princess of the Volturi'? Was he really making me a princess? Was he king of the vampires? I quickly realized that Aro was still waiting for an answer. "Okay," I whispered, my voice shaky. I really was going to be a princess. I always wanted to be like one in the movies I watched with Mommy and Daddy. Aro smiled again and, to my surprise, leaned down and hugged me gently.

"Welcome to the family, Princess Bella," he murmured softly into my ear.


	5. Chapter 5: Getting Settled

**A/N: And we're back everyone. I hope your holidays has been as relaxing as mine. However, school is starting to heat up, so perhaps I won't be feeling relaxed for a while. Anyways, this chapter features Bella meeting some of the iconic Volturi Guard members. I plan on her meeting the rest and the royal family next chapter. Oh, and some other things; Would you be interested if I wrote in other POVs? I've been personally debating that idea for a while.** **I also spent most of my break leisurely revising the first four chapters, as the main concern from reviews was that Bella was not acting her age. Feel free to re-read the chapters if you like, and as always, I am open to critique regarding my writing.**

 **(Posted 1/8/17)**

 **Chapter 5: Getting Settled**

Aro pulled away from the hug and stood back up again. "Felix, show Bella to her room please."

He nodded once. "Yes, Master," answered Felix. He walked up to me and looked down. "May I bring you to your room?" I bit my lip—something I saw Mommy do when she was thinking. I wanted to stay and meet my new family first. But before I could speak, I suddenly yawned. I felt my cheek grow warm when I saw everyone staring at me. I didn't mean for it to be so loud….

"I'll take that as a yes then," Felix laughed quietly. He reached down and lifted me into his arms. I giggled and waved goodbye at the people still standing in the room as he walked to the large doors. I felt tired already. Being held by him always made me sleepy. And he always smelled nice, too. The gentle shaking as he traveled down the hallway was soothing. It made me quickly fall asleep.

I woke up on something soft—a bed and pillow. A heavy comforter was covering me. I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes, yawning. I quickly realized that I was in a new place—I had never seen this huge room before. I looked around, trying to find something I recognized. There was a wooden door on the left and a window on the right. Light came in—it was bright outside. There was also lots of pretty paintings on the wall, a thick rug on the ground, and another door very far away, in front of me.

I was startled when a knock came from the door to my left. "May I come in?" a deep voice asked—it sounded like Felix. How did he know I was awake?

"Okay," I answered.

Felix walked in and stopped beside to my bed. He looked different. His eyes were no longer dark red, but now a bright again. It was much more… vivid. "Do you like your room?" This was my room? Then I remembered—Felix was going to take me there, but I fell asleep!

I nodded and looked around again. "Thank you," I whispered, reaching out and hugging him. I did like it. It was very beautiful, especially the rug, and I really liked the paintings. They were big and colorful.

Felix smiled as I backed away from the hug. "Good. Now, what would you like to do, Princess? Would you want to meet the rest of us in the main chamber?" he inquired curiously.

I could feel myself getting excited. "Yes, please," I pleaded eagerly, bouncing on the bed. I wanted to make new friends and see my new family! However, just when Felix opened his mouth to speak, my stomach growled. I blushed and became aware that I was both hungry and thirsty.

"Err… are you hungry?" he asked. My face felt even warmer as I nodded again. I didn't know Felix had heard me! He looked like he didn't know what to do, which made me giggle. It was always Demetri who gave me food on the plane, but he wasn't here right now. "Umm, give me one minute," Felix said abruptly. I blinked and… he was gone. Where did he go? How did he leave the room so quickly? Was it because he was a vampire?

Surprisingly, it was Gianna who came in through the door after I waited on the bed. She was carrying a tray in her hands that had a plate of food and a glass of water. Felix was also behind her.

"Would you like some breakfast?" I heard Gianna's soft voice say. It was the opposite of Felix and Demetri—it didn't sound like she was always singing. She carefully lowered the tray on top of the bed and in front of me. It was a plate of scrambled eggs and ham. I loved eggs! Mommy would always make some for me. There was also a fork and knife and the glass of water next to it. "I hope this okay. I can get something else if you don't like it." Gianna sounded worried as she backed away.

I shook my head. "I love eggs," I told her and began to eat. They were tasty, but I tried to finish as fast as I could. I wanted to meet my new family and friends! "Thank you," I thanked her when I was done. Gianna gave me a smile and took the tray from me and left. I looked at Felix, who was standing by the door. It didn't look like he had moved at all. Wasn't his feet hurting? "Can we go now?" I inquired again.

He chuckled lightly. "Yes, Princess, we can go," he confirmed with an amused grin. It was time! Excited, I made my way off the bed, but I tripped when I touched the ground. Felix caught me before I hit the floor. "Are you alright, Bella?" he asked worriedly. I nodded as I blushed. I didn't want to tell him that I fell down a lot. He never saw me because he always carried me around. Felix looked concerned, but didn't say anything. I grasped his hand as he led me out the door and down the hallways.

The doors to the big chamber were already open so I got to see the inside. There were a lot of people—I couldn't count them all. Most of them weren't wearing cloaks. They had on the same clothes that Mommy and Daddy would wear.

All of them turned when Felix and I entered the room. Some smiled, while others looked the same as before. Suddenly, I felt scared—my excitement was gone. Even though they were my family, they were still strangers! I didn't know anything about them. What if they didn't like me?

Frightened, I clutched Felix's hand harder. He squeezed back gently, reassuring me. I knew that he would keep me safe. We stopped when we were near the middle of the room. Without warning, two vampires appeared in front of me. I jumped slightly, alarmed. They moved so fast! One of them was a short girl, like me, but a little taller. She was looking at me with curious, red eyes. The girl had light brown hair, kind of like chocolate milk, that reached her shoulders. Her face was very pretty and she had a polite smile. It helped get rid of my nervousness. Maybe she could be my friend, like Felix and Demetri.

"Hello, Princess Bella," she greeted softly in a high-pitched voice. It was very pleasant to listen to. Also, how did she know my name? Did someone tell her? "My name is Chelsea, and this is my mate, Afton." Chelsea gestured to a much taller man next to her. Afton's hair was a bit darker than hers, a muddy brown, and much shorter. He smiled, but didn't say anything. I got the sense that he didn't like to talk a lot. Was he shy like me? Also, what was a 'mate'?

"We would like to formally welcome you to the family," she continued with a warm smile. I liked them immediately. Chelsea seemed nice and kind. And maybe I could get Afton to speak!

"Hello, Chelsea and Afton," I replied shyly. Then I remembered. "How do you know my name?" I asked, confused. I never met them before.

Chelsea laughed, and it sounded like ringing bells. "Aro made sure of that." She glanced behind her, then looked back at me. "Until we meet again, Princess," she said, smiling. Chelsea and Afton walked away, toward a small crowd. A stranger that was waiting behind them stepped forward.

She was the prettiest person I'd ever seen. She was much taller than Chelsea, and her hair was darker and longer, too. It went past her shoulders and the color was like the wooden table Mommy had—mahogany? The dress she was wearing was very beautiful. It was bright red, like her eyes. She leaned down and smiled. "Hi, Princess Bella, I'm Heidi. It's a pleasure to meet you." Her voice sounded like Chelsea's, but it was a bit lower.

Then, to my shock, she carefully hugged and lifted me into her cold arms. I shrieked from surprise and hid my face behind my hair. She had startled me! When I peeked through my hair, she didn't look mean. She had a friendly smile. Maybe she could be my friend?

I took a small breath. She smelled nice, like one of Mommy's favorite tea—Jasmine. Only it was a bit sweeter. It calmed me down. "Felix, why isn't she talking?" Heidi asked after a moment. She appeared to be upset, and I didn't know why.

Felix rolled his eyes. "It's probably because you're scaring her right now," he answered with a chuckle.

Heidi looked back at me with a serious expression. "Am I scaring you?" I shook my head. Why would I be scared of her? I liked her. She seemed… outgoing and brave. She had given me a hug and picked me up! I liked her name, too. It was unique.

"See, Felix, I'm not scaring her! Why won't she say anything?" Heidi pouted, which made me giggle. She looked so sad that I wasn't talking to her.

"You're funny," I commented with another giggle.

Heidi shot me a wide smile. She looked even prettier. "Thank you, Princess." Heidi glanced at Felix again. "She's adorable, Felix," she cooed and sighed at the same time, making me blush. I always felt embarrassed when people spoke about me. I rested my head on her and began playing with her hair. It felt very smooth and cool, like ice.

"May I meet her?" a low, but not deep, voice inquired. I peered around Heidi and saw a short and small boy dressed in a dark cloak—the same color as Jane's. He had dark brown hair, which reminded me of dark chocolate. He looked familiar, but I didn't know why. I had never seen him before.

"I don't know if you want to do that," another high-pitched voice said. It was Jane! I recognized her hair as she walked up and stopped next to the boy. They both looked similar—more rounded faces and short height. Were they related? Maybe they were siblings?

The boy gave Jane a look. "Don't be disrespectful, Jane. I _want_ to meet her." She rolled her eyes as he bowed his head. "Apologies, Princess. My sister tends to speak without thinking first." I giggled aloud while Jane growled, but he ignored her. So they were brothers and sisters! I didn't know Jane had brother. Maybe he could be my friend, too. "My name is Alec. It's nice to finally meet you," he smiled politely.

"Hello, Alec," I greeted quietly. "It's nice to finally meet you, too." Alec was so different from Jane! It felt like he was the complete opposite of her. They reminded me of my parents. Jane was more open and energetic like Mommy, while Alec was more calm and… composed like Daddy.

Suddenly, I realized something—Demetri was missing! Where was he? I looked around, trying to find him, but I didn't. Felix must have noticed me searching because he asked, "Who are you looking for, Princess?"

I turned and faced him. "Where is Demetri?" I felt sad that he wasn't here—I wanted all my friends to be here!

Felix smiled. "Don't worry, he'll be here shortly. He's bringing the rest of your family, along with a few others," he said reassuringly. The rest of my family? I quickly became excited yet scared. I wanted to meet the rest of my new family, but what if they didn't like me? I also knew nothing about them! Soon after, everyone in the room turned toward the large doors. There was a group of cloaked people walking toward us. I recognized Aro and Demetri at the front, leading them. Four of them also had the same colored clothing as Aro. Were they part of Aro's family? They stopped in front of me.

"Princess Bella," Aro said cheerfully. "I would like to introduce you to my mate, Sulpicia." A pretty woman with dark brown hair like Daddy's favorite drink—coffee—smiled politely at me. She, too, had the cloudy red eyes and different skin. I examined the rest of them. All of the black-cloaked people had the same eyes and skin as Aro.

"This is my brother, Caius, and his mate, Athenodora." Aro gestured to another pair of vampires. Athenodora had pale blonde hair, like Jane's butterscotch but lighter. She smiled, but Caius didn't. He seemed… bored. His hair was the opposite of Aro's. It was white. "And Marcus," Aro finished. Marcus looked like he was tired. Maybe he needed to rest? He was taller than the rest, and his hair was almost the same as Aro's, but just a bit shorter and lighter, too. Marcus gazed at me with… intrigue? Interest? I wondered why. He reached his hand out to Aro, who took it and held it for a moment.

"Thank you, Marcus. How very interesting," Aro murmured to himself. "It appears most of our Guard has met the Princess and all went well," he explained. "My dears, I also have an announcement regarding Princess Bella's gift. She is a shield."


	6. Chapter 6: Dangerous

**A/N: Sorry I took so long to update. I really need to set a schedule or something, because I procrastinate wayyyy too much. Anyways, I'm thinking about wrapping up six-year-old Bella within the next few chapters or so, and go straight into when she's seventeen or eighteen, about to be changed. As always, feel free to leave a review of what you think; I enjoy reading your critiques.**

 **(Posted 1/17/17)**

 **Chapter 6: Dangerous**

Aro and my friends spent the next few days explaining to me what 'gifted' vampires were, the ones in the Volturi, and anything I wanted to know about them. I didn't mean to bother them for so long, but I was curious! I learned so many things, too! They were really fast and strong and could hear everything—Demetri had shown me by running around and breaking things and repeating what I said far away. But I wasn't scared, which confused them. They had been expecting me to be. Why would I be afraid of my friends?

However, after Aro told me that Jane could make people feel like they were on fire, it made her ten times scarier. I was glad that I had a 'mental shield', as Aro had called it, because Jane wouldn't be able to do that to me. I also made some new friends. Renata was small, short, had black hair and also had a 'shield' gift, just like me. She was very nice and promised to help me make mine stronger, once I could. Santiago was large and tall like Felix, but he was quieter, so not like Felix. He had black hair, too, but it was much longer than Felix's. Corin was a bit taller than Renata, and had golden blonde hair. She was also nice to me and smiled a lot, which I liked.

"Do you have any other questions, my dear?" Aro asked from his wooden chair. We had been talking about his gift. I thought it was much better than mine. And it fit Aro perfectly, since I found out my family and friends were in charge of keeping the secret—people couldn't know that there were real vampires. He could tell if someone broke the rules or not by just touching them. Aro had also told me the law always came first.

I shook my head. "No, thank you," I answered as I got up from the wooden chair. Aro had gotten me one just like his, but smaller. I told him that I didn't need one, but he didn't listen to me. I didn't want one because it felt like they were giving me everything.

"Now, I do believe it is time for your dinner. Why don't you ask Gianna to bring you outside tonight?" he proposed with a smile.

I brightened at this. "Really?" I said excitedly. I had been trying to convince him to let me go with Gianna whenever she would leave to eat. She would always order what I wanted and carry it back, but I was tired of being inside. I wanted to see the outside, and not through a window. I wanted to explore!

Aro laughed quietly. "Yes, my dear. My only request is you stay within our city walls, of course," he kindly reminded. I noticed something about his eyes—they were very dark, almost black, with only a small circle of red left. Curious, I glanced around. My friends that were standing in the room had dark eyes, too. Except Heidi—she wasn't here. She had been helping Aro with something yesterday and was coming back today. Would she have the same eyes, also?

"Okay," I agreed. I felt very eager. I could finally go with Gianna! When I started walking to the gold doors, Alec suddenly appeared next to me.

"May I walk with you, Princess?" he requested politely. I nodded, and we both headed for the elevators at the end of the hall. I was surprised when I heard unfamiliar voices near it—they didn't sound like my friends. It was much rougher, not as smooth. I spotted Heidi strolling in front of a large group of people. She was wearing a short, dark blue dress. It made her look prettier. The people behind her were glancing around and talking at the same time. Some of them had cameras.

"My, how quaint!" a lady with glasses exclaimed. She was inspecting the chandelier—Felix taught me the word—with awe. It was very pretty.

"It certainly has a beautiful charm, doesn't it?" another woman observed.

I greeted Heidi when she stopped in front of me and Alec. "Hi, Heidi!" She didn't have black eyes like I thought she would, which confused me. Instead, they were light purple—it reminded me of a flower. Violets?

"Hello, Princess," she answered, a wide smile on her face. "I've missed you."

I blushed, but reached out and hugged her. "I missed you too," I repeated in a whisper. I really did. Heidi was always happy and cheerful. And she made me laugh a lot. Her cold hands patted my back gently, comforting me.

She pulled away and stood up. "I'm sorry for cutting our reunion short, Princess, but Aro needs me right now." She shot me an apologetic smile.

"Bye, Heidi," I said sadly. Heidi blew me a kiss, which made me giggle, and she continued down the hallway again. I frowned to myself. What was Heidi doing with those people? I tugged on Alec's sleeves, causing his black eyes to look down at me.

"Yes?" he inquired softly.

"Why is Heidi taking people into the big room?" I asked.

He gave me a confused look. "We're vampires, Princess," he said slowly, like it was an explanation.

"Oh." I realized what he meant. They _were_ vampires… and vampires drank blood. Heidi was bringing the group inside so they could drink their blood. I had forgotten about that part. Felix, Demetri, Aro—all of them never really seemed like vampires to me. I saw them as my friends and family.

"Shall we?" Alec suggested.

I nodded, but I felt so… conflicted? Divided. I knew the Volturi were vampires, and they needed blood. But Daddy told me it was bad people that _killed_ others. Good people like him stopped the bad. So the Volturi were bad? I frowned. But I couldn't think about my friends that way. They never hurt me. And I loved them all. Especially Felix and Jane and Heidi and Aro. In fact, Aro told me that it was them, the Volturi, that stopped other vampires from revealing the secret. From breaking the rules, just like Daddy. Did that mean they were good, then? I decided that they were. Even though they drank blood, they were vampires after all. And Aro had still offered a home and family and friends to me when he could have said no.

A soft, high voice startled me. "Princess?" I looked up and saw Gianna gazing with a worried expression on her face. "Are you okay?"

I nodded again. "I'm fine," I mumbled. I hadn't realized that Alec brought me to Gianna already. Me and Gianna were in the antique store where she worked. I tried to find Alec, but he wasn't here. "Where is Alec?"

"I believe he went back downstairs," she replied with a friendly smile. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, please." Gianna reached out her hand, and I took it. It felt strange that it was warm. I was so used to holding onto something colder. We stepped outside into the plaza and began looking for someplace to eat. There was a pretty orange sunset that was hidden behind the tall walls. After we searched around for awhile, Gianna found the small pizza shop she liked. We entered, and she sat down at one of the smaller tables in the back of the room. There were less people around. It was more… private.

"Wait here," she instructed and went up to the counter and began talking. I didn't understand her—she was speaking in a different… language. It reminded me of when Mommy once tried to learn Spanish. I don't think she was very good at it.

"Is that Spanish?" I asked when she came back. It sounded close to what Mommy spoke.

Gianna smiled. "Italian," she corrected.

"That's cool," I enthused with a smile.

She laughed gently. "I guess so," she agreed.

A young man walked up to our table holding a tan plate with two pieces of pizza. It didn't look like the pizza Mommy would sometimes order. There were large chunks of white cheese with the red tomato sauce surrounding it, instead of the cheese covering the tomatoes. There were also green leaves on it, too, and the crust was thinner.

" _Grazie_ ," I heard Gianna say as she took the plate and set it on the table. We both took a bite. It tasted really good. It was hot and the cheese was melted. While we ate, I realized that I didn't know anything about Gianna, and I felt bad. She brought me food everyday. Maybe I could make a new friend?

I put down my slice on the plate. "How do you know the Volturi? Is Aro your relative, too?"

She chuckled lightly. "I wish. Then, I'd be a vampire already," she sighed in a low voice.

"You want to be a vampire?" I repeated quietly. I didn't know Gianna wanted to be one. "Why?"

She hesitated for a second. "There's a lot of… power in being one of them. The kind of power you can't imagine yet." Gianna smiled again. "And to answer your first question, I found out when there was a job listing for a secretarial position. I came in, met Demetri, and immediately knew they were vampires."

I was confused. "How?" How did she know so quickly?

Gianna took a deep breath and her body shook a little. "Let's just say Jane demonstrated her… _feeding_ in front of me, and promised the same if I told anyone else about them living under the city. Technically, the Volturi aren't allowed to flat out say they're vampires, but they can imply heavily."

"Oh." I felt bad for Gianna. She was clearly scared of Jane like I was. Maybe even more than me.

Gianna smiled a small smile and looked at my plate. "Are you done?" she asked.

I nodded. "Thank you," I said politely.

"You're very welcome, Princess," Gianna whispered, making me giggle. She made it sound like it was a super top secret that I was a princess. Like it was a very, very, big deal. Gianna stood up and took my hand, walking us to the front door. It was very dark outside—I couldn't see anything. The light from the restaurant made it a little bit better.

"Shoot." Gianna muttered quietly as she looked around. She glanced at me. "I'm sorry, I forgot my purse. Do you mind waiting here for one second?" she apologized.

I shook my head. "I'll be right back," she promised, her voice already becoming harder to hear. Suddenly, a large hand covered my mouth and pulled me backward at the same time. I went into the space between the restaurant and a shop next to it. What scared me the most was that it was warm, and not cold—a stranger's.

\ **Oh noes! What will happen to Bella next? I have an inkling that she will be fine, however.**


	7. Chapter 7: Rescued

**A/N: This chapter definitely was a bit of a challenge, trying to get the POV of Jane to feel "right". A sort of mature, yet immature thinking. Anyways, as I have stated previously, I am looking to wrap up young Bella within the next chapter or so. As always, feel free to critique my work and leave a review** — **I enjoy reading them.**

 **(Posted 1/23/17)**

 **Chapter 7: Rescued**

 _Jane's POV_

Pausing for a second, I made sure no humans were nearby before darting in between the brick alleyway. I knew I was too fast for them to see—it was nighttime as well, so their vision was essentially nonexistent—but I erred on the side of caution. Aro would not be _pleased_ if his most trusted guard slipped up, now would he?

Patrolling the perimeter of the city was not the most exhilarating task, but it allowed me the opportunity to escape from Bella. When she first arrived, I'd thought she would've been frightened of us. However, Bella was unusual—she didn't have _normal_ human reactions. Whereas a human instinctively avoided physical contact, she was the opposite. Bella _sought_ physical contact—anything from a poke of her finger to a warm hug.

At first, everyone was taken aback by her apparent fearlessness, even after revealing that we were vampires. There was something about her that quickly won over the hearts of my fellow guard members. Whether it was the fact that she was Aro's descendent, had no fear of us, or her 'cute' demeanor, to quote Heidi, didn't matter to me. She was just a human. Yet, even though I scared Bella—her heartbeat would always increase a little when I was around—didn't sway her dogged determination to talk to me. A small, insignificant part of myself admired her persistence—she was stubborn. But her ability to block my gift still irritated me to no end.

Making my way home, I sighed silently and tried to ignore the now uncomfortable burn in my throat. Heidi was back already—I'd crossed her scent earlier, along with a plethora of various humans mixed in. Alec would save me one of the tastier ones. He'd better. We'd all been under strain because of Bella. Her blood was definitely above average—very floral and light, yet strong in its potency. I sighed in frustration again as venom welled in my mouth. Great. I made myself thirstier just thinking about it.

My head snapped up to the sound of a familiar, hoarse human voice—Gianna—to the west. "Princess? Where are you?" she called, sounding panicked. I frowned. Bella? Was she in trouble? Immediately, I adjusted course, turning toward the agitated voice.

I reached the empty street where Gianna stood and appeared behind her. "Gianna," I addressed calmly. Her wet, beating heart jolted into a sprint as she twirled around in surprise. I stopped breathing when her warm scent hit me. I was too thirsty for that kind of temptation. "What's the issue?" I asked impatiently, using up some of my air. I hated having to ask her for information.

"It's the princess," she gasped breathlessly. "I don't know where she went! I left for a second to get my purse, and when I came out she was gone. I—"

Anger instantly flooded my body. I stepped forward, my hands clenching into fists. "You left the princess _alone_?" I snarled in disbelief. What was this human _thinking_? Did she not know how important the princess was to Aro, to everyone? Bella was an official member of the family—and Gianna lost her. I had to resist the urge to kill her right then and there. She automatically backed away slightly and looked at the ground.

"I—" Gianna tried again.

I cut her off. "Enough. Go home and inform the others of the situation. Find me Felix and Demetri."

"Yes, Jane," she nodded obediently, then scrambled toward the plaza, a few blocks away. A surprising sense of anxiety came over me. Why? I quickly imagined Aro's reaction to finding out Bella was missing—and flinched at the thought. Yes, that had to be the reason behind my anxiety. Only that, and nothing else.

I drew a deep breath, tasting the air surrounding me. Gianna and Bella's scent were intermingled and fresh, which was reassuring, but there was a hint of something else, something different. A human's I didn't recognize. I began to follow it swiftly down another alley between a pizzeria and a gift shop. I was on the correct path—the unknown person's and Bella's scent grew stronger. I listened intently as I ran, searching for Bella's heartbeat. After a brief moment of pure sprinting, I caught it—she and another's was directly in front of me. When I spotted the princess, I slowed down and let loose a vicious snarl, glaring at the human male that held onto Bella.

My eyes met Bella's chocolate brown ones as they twisted around, facing me. Relief—instant relief—flooded them. "Jane," I heard her call out. They way she said my name reminded me of the same way she would say Felix's when she was afraid, which was often. She found safety within my presence. I suddenly realized that I loved Bella the way Felix and Demetri and Heidi—and everyone else—did, too.

 _Bella's POV_

I felt so scared. Who was this man? And where was he taking me? "Let go," I demanded when he released his hand and grabbed my arm. I tried to get it off, but it was useless. He was too strong. Where was Gianna? Felix? Demetri? They would help me.

" _Stai zitto_ ," he said angrily. The man continued bringing us down the dark alleyway. We took a right turn when we got to the end, then a left, then a right again. I didn't know where I was anymore, and there was no one I could see—he avoided the streets. After a while, I saw the tall walls nearby. Was he trying to get out of the city?

We were traveling in another space between houses when there was a loud and angry growl. It came from behind. We turned at the same time and I saw a small person standing still, wearing a dark cloak. "Jane," I whispered in relief. I recognized the butterscotch candy hair under her hood. She looked terrifying. Her lips were bent back over her white teeth and her eyes were black. She stared at the stranger, her face enraged. Then, she smiled at him—he dropped to the ground and screamed, his hands holding onto his head. The next second, Jane was next to me, pulling me behind her. What happened? Was she using her gift?

I hugged her as hard as I could. It felt like hugging a stone statue. Jane wrapped her cold arms gently around me, making me feel safe again. "Are you alright, Princess?" she questioned, her voice worried. I just nodded and leaned my face into her hair. I took several deep breaths, inhaling her sweet odor. It smelled like peaches. It was very soothing. Tears started to fall onto my cheeks. I had tried to be brave and not to cry when the man took me, but now that Jane saved me, I couldn't stop. I wanted to wipe them away, but Jane's hard arms were blocking me—I couldn't move them at all.

The stranger on the ground groaned, and I felt Jane stiffen. "Princess?" a deep voice asked. I shifted away from Jane a little and looked up. There were two tall, cloaked men standing behind her.

I recognized them. "Felix! Demetri!" I greeted happily. My friends were here! Jane let me go and I ran over to them, hugging Demetri first.

He used his sleeves to dry my cheeks of any tears. "Don't want you to get my cloak wet," he joked before embracing me softly. "Are you alright?" I nodded again. Demetri had a nice cinnamon smell. It helped soothe me, too. He pulled away after a moment and I turned to Felix next.

I hugged him. "It's okay, Princess," he said reassuringly. He then glanced at the man who was still lying down, but not shouting anymore. "I say we break him. Right now," Felix growled. I noticed his eyes—they were bright red again, like strawberries. So was Demetri's.

Her black eyes gazed at the stranger. "No. Bring him with us," Jane replied in a low, calm tone. "Felix, you'll carry him while Demetri carries the princess."

I clutched Felix tighter and shook my head. "No." Jane raised an eyebrow and gave me a questioning look. "I want to be with Felix," I explained, blushing a little. Being held by Felix always made me feel safe. He was comforting.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. _Felix_ will carry the princess. Demetri will carry the other human. I'll lead the way."

Both nodded and Felix picked me up and cradled me. "Close your eyes," he ordered. I did so and we began moving, but it was different from the other times when Felix had held me. His walk was still smooth, but now a strong wind blew against my face. Like we were traveling very fast. It reminded me of when Daddy would drive the car with the windows down. The _whooshing_ sound it made was the same. "You can open your eyes now," I heard Felix murmur. I opened them, and to my surprise, we were inside the small antique store. How did we get here so quickly? Had Felix moved at vampire speed?

Gianna was sitting behind her desk. She looked sad and worried. But when she saw me, her face became relieved and happy. "Princess, you're okay," said Gianna, standing up. I smiled and nodded. It seemed like she did care about me. Maybe she could be my friend? However, Jane growled loudly at her, and Gianna sat back down onto her chair again. Her face became scared.

Why was Jane so… angry at her? "Why did you do that, Jane?" I inquired curiously.

"Maybe it has something to do with how she let you get kidnapped," she answered harshly, still glaring at her. I felt bad for Gianna. It wasn't her fault. She didn't know and I didn't know that this would happen. I should have stayed with her.

I shook my head. "It's not her fault," I assured.

Jane's black eyes narrowed as she turned to face me. "And what makes you say that?"

"She didn't know someone would take me," I tried to explain.

"He wouldn't have been able to kidnap you if Gianna stayed with you like she was supposed to," she retorted.

But what if I wasn't the only person? "Maybe he would have taken Gianna, too."

Jane frowned and paused for a second. She shook her head. "Regardless of what may or may not have occurred, it is still clearly Gianna's fault that—"

"Jane," Demetri interrupted. I suddenly noticed him standing next to us and that the man was placed over his shoulders. The stranger was moving a little—he was breathing slowly. It seemed like he was sleeping.

Demetri and Jane leered at each other for a moment before Jane sighed. "Forgive me, princess. I'm a little… preoccupied." Her black eyes were apologetic as she stared at me. Was Jane angry because of Gianna? Or because since she left me, and I was put in danger? Did that mean Jane… cared about me? That she was really my friend? I hoped so. I had wanted to be her friend when we first met.

"It's okay." I smiled and patted Jane's smooth hair.

Felix cleared his throat. "Shall we? Aro will certainly be awaiting us." As we made our way to the large room, I yawned several times. Felix was still cradling me, and it was making me sleepy. But I didn't want to sleep yet. And I wanted to know why Demetri was still carrying the stranger. When Jane opened the gold doors, I saw my friends and Aro already inside. They were all standing still.

Before Felix could enter, Heidi appeared in front of us, startling me. She hugged me even though I was in Felix's arms. "Are you okay, princess?" Heidi asked with alarm.

I nodded. "Yes, Heidi," I answered calmly. It was clear that she was upset, and I didn't want to make her feel worse. I reached for her, and Heidi took me from Felix, holding me in her cold arms. I smiled and leaned against her shoulder, breathing her sweet jasmine smell. It was very relaxing.

Aro also came over to where I was. "Hello, my dear Bella," he greeted gently. He was polite like always, but his red eyes were serious. "I was informed of your disappearance when Gianna returned." He turned to look at Jane next to me. "What exactly transpired, Jane?" he asked with curiosity.

She stepped forward and held out her hand. Aro touched it briefly and immediately frowned. "Hmm," he said, his voice flat. He glanced at the man on the floor by Demetri's feet. I guessed Demetri had put him down. Aro walked to where he was lying down and picked up his wrist. "It appears he planned on kidnapping a child, then holding them ransom to the parents. The princess was the first he encountered." There were sounds of low growls and hisses that came from my friends.

"What happens now?" Felix questioned eagerly.

Aro looked thoughtful as he stood up again. "I suppose Jane has the honor of disposing this criminal that wandered into our city." Jane looked pleased while Felix groaned. He appeared to be disappointed. Why?

"Excellent," Jane spoke, smiling the biggest smile I could remember seeing. Her white teeth showed, too.

Why was she so excited? "What are you going to do?" I inquired. I peered at the man with Jane, who was starting to move—he was waking up.

Jane smirked. "I plan on biting him, letting the venom spread, and killing him before he fully changes. But I'm not sure I have the necessary restraint to just bite. If I can't control myself—" she shrugged, her black eyes… uncaring. Jane was going to _kill_ this person? I frowned to myself. Daddy taught me bad people killed others, and good people stopped the bad. But the stranger had tried to kidnap me—he was a bad man. So was Jane a good person by killing him? If Jane didn't stop him, he might hurt other people, too. And that would be worse.

Without warning, I yawned loudly. I blushed when everyone stared at me. "Heidi, perhaps you can take Bella to her room so she may rest," Aro chuckled lightly.

"Yes, Master," she nodded. I didn't protest—I was too tired.

"G'night," I mumbled aloud. There were some more chuckles from different people, but I couldn't tell who. I rested my head onto Heidi and inhaled her smell. It made me sleepier. I yawned again and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8: All Grown Up

**A/N: First and foremost, I apologize for the long hiatus. I had to study for my midterms and all that jazz. Consequently, I didn't get the opportunity to write as much as I would've liked and my mind was essentially fried. But I hope to make it up to everyone with this chapter. Yes, I realize that the time skip is a bit drastic, but I really wanted to jump into where Bella is now eighteen and is going to be changed into a vampire. As always, feel free to leave a review regarding your thoughts, be it complaints or compliments.**

 **Chapter 8: All Grown Up**

 **(Posted 2/12/17)**

 **(12 years later… Bella is now 18)**

A high-pitched, melodic voice whispered incessantly into my ear. "Oh, Princess? Come on, wake up and get dressed, everyone's waiting for you. Happy birthday!" it enthused. Even in my trance-like state of sleep, I immediately identified the person speaking—Heidi. I groaned, rolling over onto my stomach and covered my head with a plush pillow in a futile attempt to block out the noise.

Technically, I didn't know my _real_ birthday; we substituted it for the day that I arrived to Volterra. When I was younger, it had been easier to utilize that day as my birthday than to fly back to the States and search for the birth certificate. Although I suspected Aro would have let me if I chose to, I decided against it. I wanted to discover my own life and my own human parents once I was changed—it would be much more convenient, and I felt uncomfortable with the notion that one of my friends would learn something about me before I did.

Nevertheless, it was no surprise that my family had ignored my request to not celebrate my birthday. Honestly, I was fine with a _minor_ celebration of sorts—a few obligatory 'happy birthdays', some customary hugging, and _maybe_ a cake—but judging from the level of excitement and impatience in Heidi's voice, I seriously doubted today would amount to anything minor.

"It's too early, Heidi. I'm sleeping," I mumbled as into my pillow. I could almost visualize the eye roll she most certainly gave me.

She huffed, irritated. "It's noon. And what's the point of sleeping if you're being changed into one of us today? You know you're never going to be able to sleep after that," she retorted.

Without ample warning, I was hit by a blast of freezing cold air as Heidi yanked the warm, soft comforter atop my body away. I instinctively curled into a ball and groaned again—this time in defeat. "Okay! Fine, I'm awake," I grumbled. I sat up and threw my pillow toward the general direction of where Heidi was—she gracefully dodged my deadly projectile.

Heidi smirked, taking on the appearance of a gloating angel, but with red eyes. "Good. Meet us in the chamber when you're ready," she instructed and disappeared. Sighing, I ran my hand through my hair, both trying to wrestle it into a more manageable form as well as in frustration. So much for trying to sleep in—surrounded by vampires that never slept.

I eventually decided to get off my bed and take a shower. My family had expanded my bathroom several times, mostly due to Heidi's insistence that it needed to be more 'spacious' as I grew older. Now that I think about it, her apparent enjoyment at redesigning and rebuilding my bathroom definitely outweighed the actual necessity. Not that I was complaining; some of my fondest memories were with her, smashing bathroom tiles and vanities into pieces.

After drying my hair, smelling faintly of strawberries, I brushed it out of the way, behind my back. I walked to my closet for something comfortable to wear. Aside from the fact that all my clothes were brand new, courtesy of Heidi and Chelsea, my full black cloak also hung inside along with some clothing that I deemed to be _normal,_ whereas they deemed it _hideous_.

I went with a pair of light blue jeans and a white long sleeved cotton shirt. Heidi was going to kill me when she saw my outfit, but I figured I could push my luck. If I was going to my birthday party, I wanted to do so in something I could actually move around in. She had once convinced me—technically, threatened would be the correct term—to wear a navy blue cocktail dress for my sixteenth birthday, and I was practically paralyzed. The dress was two sizes too small, yet Heidi had insisted it was a 'perfect' fit, much to my dismay.

Giving myself a once over in front of my full length mirror and finding it satisfactory, I left my room. I turned right, walked down the furnished hallway, then turned left down another. I pulled aside a piece of paneling when I got to the end, setting it flush with the wall, and entered the main hall.

I was instantly surrounded like revealing a puppy to a group of humans. "Happy birthday, Princess," said Chelsea, appearing alongside me with Afton, Renata and Alec. "This comes from all of us, by the way," she added respectfully. They all smiled widely, looking beatific. They were dressed not in their usual respective cloaks, but in light, designer clothing. "Shall we escort you to the chamber?" she inquired, barely containing her excited grin.

I rolled my eyes. "Let's get this over with," I muttered under my breath, earning a few chuckles. Despite my protests, with every birthday I celebrated, the gifts and parties became exponentially more expensive and extravagant. Granted, the Volturi had money—an understatement worth trillions, to say the least—so it didn't exactly hurt them financially. But I still conceded with good grace every time. I knew the Volturi loved lavishing me with luxuries they otherwise would've spend on themselves out of boredom.

"Don't be like that, Princess," Renata quietly urged. "It's your last human birthday; you should end it on a happy note." She was right, of course. Renata always seemed to see straight into what was most important. I should be celebrating with my family and friends, especially since they considered today to be a symbolic day—my human birthday and the day I was to be turned.

I smiled at them. "Thank you guys," I said genuinely, reaching out and hugging each one individually. After I finished, Alec led us toward the chamber. He slowly—dramatically, might I add—pushed open the gilded doors when we reached them. I rolled my eyes at him, but quickly froze when I saw what was inside. "Wow."

The cobblestone walls were now layered with solid white gossamers and large satin bows, and the floor scattered with rose petals, giving off their pleasant aroma. Multiple wooden tables had been brought in, each draped with pale white tablecloth. Perfectly wrapped gifts were stacked on several, a platter of food and a triple tiered cake on another. Sunlight streamed powerfully from up above, lighting the room and sending a few vampires sparkling. My family was gathered near the thrones; the rest of the guard stood casually by, talking, creating a low, musical murmur. Everyone turned and smiled at me as I stared, starstruck, and felt my cheeks flush.

"Hey, there's the Princess!" Felix cheered from the center of the room, in his typical rambunctious fashion. Him, Demetri, Corin, Santiago and Jane materialized in front me. They were looking rather dapper in similar designer clothes—I suspected Heidi had something to do with it. It was strange seeing them dressed so finely as they rarely took their cloaks off. "They grow up so fast," Felix sobbed exaggeratingly, pretending to brush away a tear from his dark crimson eyes.

I glared at him playfully. "Shut up, Felix," I growled before stepping closer, wrapping my arms around him. He laughed and hugged me back gently, patting my head.

"Congratulations," Demetri commented after I pulled away. "You're officially an adult—by human standards, anyway." I rolled my eyes again, but hugged him nonetheless.

"Thank you, Demetri," I replied politely. I suddenly realized that a certain very beautiful, mahogany-haired vampire was missing. "Where's Heidi?" I asked cautiously, examining my surroundings carefully. A hidden Heidi was a dangerous Heidi.

"She's out getting her present for you," answered Santiago with knowing smile.

I frowned. Knowing her, it was all too likely something very expensive and _wearable_. I shuddered involuntarily. The last time she didn't show up at my party, I had wound up being forced into her car the next day and went on an extended overnight shopping trip in Milan. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy spending time with her—I had loved the trip immensely; rather, it was sheer amount of clothing she'd demanded I'd try and, consequently, purchased.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Princess," Jane assured, smirking. "I'm sure she has nothing planned for this birthday." Her ruby eyes became suspiciously innocent. I glanced around; all my vampires' expressions turned innocent, too, or avoided looking at me directly.

"You're not going to tell me anything, are you?" I questioned, my voice heavy with skepticism.

Jane shook her head, her smirk now a wide, dimpled smile that exposed her perfectly white teeth. "Nope. I do know one thing, however," she said, leaning closer.

I tentatively leaned toward her as well. "What?"

"Happy birthday," Jane whispered, her icy breath blowing into my ear. I gave her a dirty look when I righted myself again. I knew I couldn't convince her to tell me what Heidi was up to—which scared me. Jane loved withholding secrets when she knew that something unfortunate was coming my way.

Aro cleared his throat loudly, garnering our attention to where he sat on his chair. "My dears," he addressed cheerfully. "Today, we celebrate the eighteenth birthday of Princess Isabella Volturi, who has been a part of our coven for these past twelve years. And with her maturity, we can at last welcome her into our world."

I couldn't help but blush again when everyone faced me and smiled. However, another thought ran through my mind. The reality that I was being turned into a vampire _today_ hit me, and it hit hard. Though I was destined for this fate since I was six, a shudder of nervousness still slithered down my spine. I was not looking forward to the actual changing—the pain would be excruciating, as I have been repeatedly told. Yet, in spite of that knowledge, I knew it was worth it; I would suffer a few days in agony to be able to finally assimilate with my friends and family. That didn't mean I wasn't a _little_ bit anxious.

"Her balance probably won't improve either way," Felix joked, eliciting laughter from my friends and causing me to glower at him—again.

Renata rolled her dark wine eyes. "I'm more curious about her shield once it finally manifests into a gift than her balance, Felix."

He shrugged, nonchalant. "I guess we'll have to wait and see," he grinned evilly, shooting me a wink. "I'm still betting on the whole non-improved balance thing, though." I decided enough was enough. It was time to put him in his place.

"Felix?" I began innocently. "Would you mind carrying my presents up to my room? I can't possibly do it all by myself." I pouted, my bottom lip trembling. It was a move I'd mastered from years of dealing with my scheming vampires. I needed a way to dish out the manipulation and to defend myself as well.

He tried to look away, but failed; he settled on scowling half-heartedly at me. "Yes, Princess," Felix sighed, defeated, after a moment's pause. "I hate it when she does that," he muttered, shaking his head in disapproval while the rest of the family and guard laughed aloud.

I couldn't fight back the smile now on my lips. " _Thank_ you, Felix," I said sweetly, batting my lashes.

He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "Ugh." Felix carefully piled the boxed gifts into his arms before disappearing out the chamber in a blur of color. I was going to ask him to carry it, anyway. I preferred to unwrap them in private. It made the gifts seem more personal, and if I got a paper cut, it wouldn't lead to what happened _last_ time.

A human voice addressed me quietly. "Princess Bella?" I turned to the door, where it originated. There stood Valentina, the new secretary. She had wavy, hazel brown hair, tanned skin, soft brown eyes and wore a blue dress.

Valentina was the replacement for Bianca, who was the replacement for Gianna; both predecessors were denied the honor of joining the Volturi ranks. Despite its occurrence years ago, I still recalled when I was kidnapped not long after arriving to Volterra. Ultimately, the blame had been pinned onto Gianna, which played a role in Aro's decision not to change her—which resulted in her death. Bianca became the secretary shortly thereafter, but was also killed as a result of her constant grammatical errors, much to Aro's annoyance. She once had spelled my name as ' _Izabella'_ rather than ' _Isabella'_.

Valentina held in her hands a small, black velvet box with a silver bow attached to the top. "I hope you don't mind," she said hesitantly, gesturing to the present.

For a second, I was taken off guard—I hadn't been expecting her to get me something, too. "No, not at all. Thank you," I quickly recovered and reached out and took it. She bowed her head politely before leaving.

"That was nice of her," Corin commented beside me as I gradually lifted the lid. Inside was black satin, and in the middle sat a intricate pair of diamond earrings. The metal appeared to be white gold, and the diamonds were small, but still glittered beautifully.

"She's probably trying to get on your good side," Jane mused aloud.

I snorted a little reproachfully. "Well, it's working—I love them." The design was simple, yet eloquent. It was a pleasant surprise that Valentina had bought me a present. I was grateful for it; she had taken time out of her day to purchase me something. I snapped close the box and placed it into my pocket. "Santiago, would you get Valentina for me?" I asked. He nodded once and disappeared.

Demetri arched an eyebrow. "What for, Princess?"

I shrugged. "I figure she may want to try some of the cake, considering she's the only other human here. I certainly need the help," I explained. Demetri rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Part of it was true; the other part was that I wished to thank her personally.

After waiting for a minute, Santiago reentered the chamber with Valentina trailing behind. "Thank you, Santiago. Excuse us, please," I said, leading Valentina to where the food was situated alone. "Would you like some cake?" I offered. She smiled hesitantly, unmoving and silent, causing me to roll my eyes. "I won't bite."

She laughed at that, but it sounded nervous. I had to remind myself that she was new—she wasn't acclimated to the reality of vampires. I caught Jane staring—moreso glaring—at Valentina in warning. I figured it was to dissuade her from trying anything rash while with me, for whatever reason. She quickly turned pale and looked down at her feet.

"Afraid?" I asked, trying to make my voice reassuring. She nodded. "Don't be. Although Jane may appear curt and harsh, that's what she excels in—appearances. She's really a sweetheart on the inside." A loud hiss of protest echoed the room, and I laughed in response. Valentina cracked a small smile; then, she seemed to remember something, and became pale again, her body quivering ever so slightly from fear. I had an inkling as to what she was thinking about.

"Did Jane feed in front of you?"

Somehow, her already-ashen face turned even paler. "Yes," she whispered meekly, and I sighed wearily.

"As long as your loyalties remain with us, we have no reason to hurt you," I assured her as best I could. "Now, some cake?" Again, I offered some to her, but this time it offered a reprieve from her memory.

"Sure. I'd love some," Valentina agreed quietly.

I picked up the stainless steel cake knife and sliced into the topmost layer, cutting out two triangular pieces—one for me, and one for her. I placed them carefully onto plates, and handed it to her. We each grabbed a fork from the table and dug in.

We ate in silence as the room hummed in a musical blend of indiscernible voices. "I wanted to thank you for your gift. It's beautiful," I began softly.

She swallowed hastily. "You don't need to thank me, Princess. It was nothing," she responded rapidly.

"A pair of diamond earrings isn't necessarily ' _nothing'_. Still, I'm very grateful. However, I need to figure out what to get you," I chuckled dryly.

She shook her head. "You don't need to get me anything."

"Au contraire, Valentina. It's a matter of courtesy as well as my desire to repay the gesture. Aro would kill me for my lack of manners." Not literally, of course, but Aro would be extremely disappointed in me if I didn't return the gesture. 'Manners maketh man' was a phrase he taught me regarding, well, manners. In this case, manners maketh woman.

She paused briefly before nodding once. "Thank you."

I smiled at her. "No, _thank_ you."

 **Next chapter will definitely showcase her change.**


	9. Chapter 9: Reborn

**A/N: Hey everyone! I apologize for my erratic posting schedule; I really need to set some kind of deadline for myself. But, as promised, here's the chapter where Bella is finally transformed into a vampire. Feel free to let me know what you think with a review, and as always, keep on the lookout for any mistake I may have made.**

 **(Posted 2/22/17)**

 **Chapter 9: Reborn**

Compliments of Felix, the colorful and expensive-looking wrapped presents were placed in neat rows on top of the thick persian rug that spanned my room. I picked up the closest one, noting the elegant script inscribed on the paper—it was from Aro, Marcus, and Caius. Intrigued, I ripped the simple brown paper covering carefully, revealing the completed first edition volumes of _Sense and Sensibility_ and _Pride and Prejudice_ , in their original bindings. They were in perfect condition—I suspected Aro had previously owned and read these copies when it was first published by Jane Austen. I couldn't quite visualize, much less fathom, the notion of either Marcus or Caius reading these books. I carefully placed it onto an antique wooden shelf Demetri had purchased for me a few years ago, along with the rest of my books I'd read over my childhood.

After what felt like eternity of tearing apart gift wrapping, a light knock on my door interrupted me as soon as I finished. "Come in," I answered, glancing up from where I sat on the floor. A large, colorful pile of shredded paper and opened boxes lay around me, illustrating my progress since the past hour or two. Most contained _expensive,_ but dazzling, gold and diamond jewelry from my friends in the Guard, per usual.

Jane gracefully glided in, her clothes shrouded once again by a recognizable and familiar black cloak. Her maroon eyes expressed mild amusement as she partook a cursory glance of my haphazard workspace. "Thought you were never going to finish. The sound of crinkling paper gets old rather quickly," she said, a smirk playing on her lips.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Well, excuse me, but it's not my fault you guys decided to get me so many gifts," I shot back sarcastically. "What do you need?" I asked, making my tone much lighter. I wasn't trying to argue; I was eternally grateful for the gifts my friends and family showered me with.

Jane stopped beside me. "Aro would like to know if you're ready," she explained casually. I knew straightaway what she was referring to; Aro had informed me the day prior to my birthday of his decision to change me—it was only appropriate, considering I was his last human heir—and that I was not to feel pressured into being turned. Honestly, I felt the opposite. I was both excited and relieved at the same time. Excited, because today I was finally joining my family and friends; relieved, because it meant I was no longer a frail, vulnerable human being. I yearned to explore the world unhindered by petty human needs.

I peeked outside my window. It was dusk—the setting sun still lightened the night sky with streaks of dark orange color. I took a deep breath, mentally pushing down on the anxiety that suddenly came forth. "Sure. Give me five minutes, and I'll meet him in the chamber," I replied as even as I could manage. Jane dipped her head once and breezed out of the room.

Standing up, I hurriedly collected the jewelry in my hands and stored them in a massive jewelry box on top of my desk that faced the window. Heidi had gotten me the box when I was seven—she had insisted it was 'imperative' that I possessed one. In actuality, I could argue—and win that argument—that the box was actually a _part_ of my desk than just resting on top. It made up more than half the desk itself.

When I finished throwing out all the leftover paper into the wastebasket, I left the room with butterflies in my stomach and headed for the main chamber. Evidently, I was nervous—who wouldn't if they were being turned into a vampire? Despite living with them for twelve years, it was still a giant leap into the deep unknown, albeit with a good inkling of what was waiting for me. I was also not looking forward to the pain throughout the changing process—the anecdotes from my friends had something to do with that.

The gilded doors were already open when I reached the main hallway. I quickly strolled forward and stepped inside the clean, near-vacant room—the decorations had already been removed, which didn't surprise me. Vampires cleaned up fast. "Hello, Aro," I greeted politely. "First and foremost, I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity to thank you for the party or gift earlier. Thank you." I felt embarrassed—maybe even a little bit ashamed—at that. Aro had emphasized the value of being respectful and polite throughout my life.

He quietly laughed and rose from his seat. "Please, Bella, you do not need to apologize. Though, I will admit the party credits itself mostly to Heidi's planning; you should thank her instead," he responded with a small smile.

I chuckled and nodded in agreement. I then took a deep breath, steadying any qualms I had, and looked directly at him. "I'm ready to be changed." Considering this was my fate since when I first agreed to join his family, I still felt a sense of _obligation_ —I was impatient to join the world of my friends and family so that I, too, could uphold the law and administer justice to those that refused.

Aro smiled one of his signature, enthusiastic smiles. "Jane," he called out happily.

"Yes, master?" she promptly replied, materializing into the room and stood motionless.

"Lead the Princess to one of the subchambers while I finish the necessary preparations," he prompted.

Jane bowed her head obediently, then turned to face me. "Shall we?" she suggested softly. However, she appeared to be dejected, for whatever reason, which confused me.

"What's wrong?" I asked curiously as I followed Jane out of the room back into the hallway again.

She let out a long, wistful sigh. "I've never had a taste of your blood. Such a shame. I've always wanted to try it, but I suppose it's too late. Or maybe…." Jane twisted slightly, her ruby eyes appraising me thoughtfully as we walked down the warm hallway.

"Good one," I commented with a roll of my eyes, and reached out to muss her hair. She growled and neatly avoided me, striding a few steps ahead until she stopped unexpectedly and pulled aside a piece of paneling, exposing the dark, damp passageway hidden within.

"After you, Princess," she grinned, gesturing with her arm.

I groaned, but still ducked into the passageway. I hated traveling through these tight corridors—it wasn't exactly _comfortable_ for someone like me. The tunnel was cold, wet, and worst of all, barely visible to the naked—well, human—eye. I kept one hand tracing alongside the wall as I continued down, being especially careful not to trip on the uneven cobblestone floor. When we encountered an intersection, I followed Jane's directions to turn left and continued traveling until a plain wooden door came into view at the end of the tunnel. I pushed it to the side, and entered an empty room with a rectangular stone outcropping in the middle—it resembled a rudimentary table of sorts. The room was illuminated by a candle chandelier that hung on the high ceiling, giving off the illusion of warmth.

"Thank you, my dear Jane," Aro dismissed from behind, making me jump slightly. I turned around to see him standing by the entrance—his cloudy eyes were much brighter than when I saw him a few minutes ago. I guess he was being cautious—feeding prior to turning me to minimize any risk.

"Master," Jane said, bowing her head, then looked at me. To my surprise, she blurred to where I was standing and hugged me tightly. "Good luck," she whispered in my ear. "We'll stay with you when there's less blood from the bite wounds. I promise." I stood frozen with shock for a second before I wrapped my arms around her cloaked body, hugging her back. "Princess." Jane bowed her head again and disappeared through where we came from.

Aro drifted over, chuckling, his face a mixture of humor and disbelief. "Well, then. Shall we begin?" he questioned. I nodded and proceeded to lie down on the cool stone slab in the middle of the chamber. I decided to remain as still as possible throughout the process. Partly due to the fact that I wanted to be strong and not writhe around in agony like most people—I wanted the image as the Princess of the Volturi to be pristine, something that would uphold the standards set forth by Aro and the Volturi as enforcers of the law.

I wasn't sure what I felt in this exact moment. A kind of numb, limbo feeling. My dream of becoming a vampire was coming to fruition, yet at the same time, I was scared. Scared of what, I could not definitively explain. I suppose it was the fear of the unknown, again—being human was all I knew how and what to do. On the other hand, I _already_ had preexisting knowledge of what to expect—the challenges I would face, such as controlling my thirst. The incredible strength and speed that was the norm to vampires. I took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. It was unnecessary to be afraid and overthink my irrational fears.

I felt Aro's icy, hard fingers wrap themselves around my wrist firmly. Suddenly, there was a painful cutting sensation across my skin, like a razor—only a thousand times sharper. I automatically clenched and gritted my teeth in response. He moved quickly onto the opposite arm, repeating the same procedure. I instantly knew why the feeling of being bit was commonly referred to as a 'being on fire'—there was a dull, burning sensation that slowly began to emanate from both my wrists. Aro switched to my ankles, piercing the skin and forcing more of the venom in.

I didn't know if Aro left or was still in the room. I didn't care. The pain spread like wildfire—it took up all my concentration and thoughts. I couldn't focus on anything else but. It grew in strength, spreading to every single limb of my body. I could faintly recall when I had first asked Demetri about being changed and thinking, _how bad could it really be?_ I wanted to punch my old, naive self straight in the face.

I knew it was useless to scream. From the shared experiences of my friends, this was one fact I was sure about—I cheated irregardless. I screamed at the top of my lungs when the flames from the bottom half of my body connected with the inferno from the top, doubling in intensity, finally setting my entire being on fire. The temperature of my scorching body remained unaffected by my screams; the burning raged on, unhindered by my efforts to alleviate it. I desperately wished to tear my beating heart out, but my arms were dead by my side—useless. Obviously, they were—venom was designed to incapacitate.

Despite being able to rationalize that I was becoming a vampire—and subsequently, one of the most powerful creatures to inhabit the Earth—death still dominated my thoughts. I _knew_ it was all worth it in the end; but as of this moment, I wanted to die. Anything to escape the _pain_.

I could remember the physical changing taking an average of two days, but time was completely discombobulated—the fire did not lessen a single degree since it reached peak intensity, eons ago. I did not know how much time had passed, and how much time was left I had to suffer.

There was _some_ solace to the unrelenting pain. A variety of musical, chime-like voices, high and low, like angels, soothed me—though, in my charred state, I could not identify them. Nonetheless, it somewhat gave me an opportunity to distract myself as I begged them to kill me—to put an end to my unremitting agony. The angels refused; they reminded me that this stage was an unavoidable facet of my transformation.

I came to the realization that the angels were actually my vampires—Jane had promised to stay and to bring friends. I forced myself to stop screaming. Realistically, it accomplished nothing but generate unwarranted stress and worry to those around me. The fiery coals within my veins continued to lick my body, torching me alive.

After what seemed like ten lifetimes had passed, I noticed small, but significant changes within myself. My mind was clearer, in a way—still indubitably an inferno, but I could actually hold onto my thoughts; they were no longer fleeting. My hearing got stronger, too—I was able to detect each even breath of the three vampires surrounding me, their locations in proximity to mine.

Five lifetimes later, another change. The fire near the fringes of my body—my hands, feet and head—began sluggishly receding, leaving them free of any pain. The bad part? The flames retreated towards my scorched, beating heart, increasing it to some unimaginable temperature. And my throat felt no better; it was parched, as dry as a desert. I balled my hands into fists to restrain myself from screaming as my heart flew into a frenzied tempo, driven by the encroaching firestorm.

"She's almost finished," Demetri stated quietly.

Jane sighed. "Finally." I could hear the exhale of air from her lips.

I gritted my teeth, but the action momentarily distracted me—my teeth felt different against each other. They were harder; more robust. Definitely sharper. My heart thrummed rapidly, like a sustained note, desperately trying to escape the blaze that surrounded and consumed it. It was futile—it had already been defeated when Aro first bit me.

My heart stuttered, stumbling in its stride as the flames finally caught up. With a final, symbolic, quiet beat came silence. Not a single sound, not even my own breathing or my friends'. All I could fathom in that exact moment was the _blissful_ relief I felt. I opened my eyes into my new life.

A myriad of sensations overwhelmed me. There was sight—the room was bright; clearly visible, like the room was illuminated by some powerful light source, yet only by a chandelier that dangled directly above me. It was no longer dark like I remembered from my cloudy, human memory. But what struck me the most was the level of _clarity_ —I could see _everything_. From the microfissures resembling rivers in each individual stone block in the ceiling, to the porous binding material that held them together.

I was so engrossed with my examination that I'd forgotten I was not alone—a light squeeze of my hand drew my attention to the unfamiliar touch. It felt _warm_. The texture of the skin was not granite, but a soft satin. In normal circumstances, I would have found the contact to be pleasant. However, in my disoriented state, I could only recall the _freezing_ temperature of vampires.

I automatically reacted. Air rushed from my lungs, creating a feral-sounding hiss when it blew through my clenched teeth. My muscles immediately tensed, and I instinctively threw my arms outward—along with it, a nearly invisible white layer of… energy. It exploded from the surface of my body, warping into a dome, and forcibly threw the vampires within the room against the wall.

 **A/N: You might have guessed it; Bella is special! I've decided to give her a physical shield in addition to her mental one. But don't worry** — **she'll most likely have some shortcomings with her mental one. (Or, I could make her physical one weaker. I really don't know).**


	10. Chapter 10: Acclimation

**A/N: Wow, we've hit 10 chapters already? And Bella hasn't even met the Cullens yet (Don't worry, that's definitely a possibility after a few chapters). Let's see how the Volturi react to Bella's additional shield. As usual, be on the lookout for any grammatical errors I may have made. Feel free to leave a review of your thoughts** — **I know I don't really communicate that much, but I love reading them. It helps motivate me to continue writing despite my hectic life.**

 ****Rating has changed to Mature/Mature Adults as a result of Bella becoming a vampire and doing...well, what a vampire does. Killing humans. I'll try to keep the descriptions of her actions close to the writings of Meyer.****

 **(Posted 3/5/17)**

 **Chapter 10: Acclimation**

My eyes captured the exact moment the clear wall of energy smashed into the three vampires in perfect detail. They were unprepared—they either couldn't see the translucent wall or couldn't react fast enough. Their bodies conformed to the curvature the dome, flew backwards, and slammed into the cobblestone walls with a resounding bang. I sank into a defensive crouch atop the stone outcropping that had served as my pyre, eyeing the downed vampires warily.

I tentatively took a small breath, taking in the diverse, sweet scents in the air. One smelled of peaches, another cinnamon—however, this had a bit of spice to it, and the last could only be described as aroma of a fresh-baked pretzel. I could also taste the particulates of stone dust that emerged and drifted into the air from the pulverized blocks.

I listened hard, my senses ranging further and further out, searching intently for any dangers. There were mellifluous voices engaged in conversation, their tones alarmed—I suspected they heard the crash; the scratching of paper as it was inscribed upon—I detected another sound nearby, one that instantly made me aware of the unmistakable burn within my throat. A wet, beating heart.

The sound of rocks shifting to my left, clicking disjointedly as they struck one another, drawing my attention to the source. "What the hell was that, Princess?" Felix groaned, his ruby eyes displaying shock and confusion, as he shoved himself out of the destroyed part of the wall that held a rough indentation of his body, four feet away. I scrutinized him meticulously. His voice was a deep bass—considerably richer and heavier than I'd remembered; his posture was rigid—guarded.

I immediately straightened out of my crouch when I could feel my conscious control return. The move was instantaneous—from thought to action, my body had already completed the task. In the same millisecond, the wall that had been projected snapped back, creating a secondary layer of invisible skin, hovering just above my own. It reminded me of plastic wrap—I was essentially covered by it. Then it hit me—I was an idiot; obviously, whoever had originally touched me would feel different. I was a vampire now—we were at same temperature. They wouldn't feel cold to me anymore. I'd overreacted—but what _exactly_ did I do? I frowned, mulling over as I replayed the scene in my mind. How was I supposed to describe what I did when _I_ had no clue?

"Yeah, Princess," Demetri agreed, fluidly standing up from the cracked floor beside Felix, where he had landed, and brushed off the specks of stone that clung to his cloak. His deep voice, lighter than Felix's, mirrored the emotions on his face—bewilderment. "That was a bit… unexpected," he summed up succinctly. His posture was noticeably more relaxed than Felix, but still alert.

Jane pushed herself out of the divot in the wall, to my right, and shook out her pale, butterscotch hair, creating a miniscule cloud of dust and sent a few stone shards sailing through the air. They landed with a gentle, yet erratic tinkling. "I should've known you would've gotten my hair dirty," Jane sighed, her high, musical voice a mix of irritation and awe. She pivoted to face me, her crimson eyes studying me carefully. "What _did_ you do?" she inquired cautiously.

I felt my frown deepen. "I don't know," I admitted softly. My own voice startled me—it was just as every bit high-pitched and melodic as Jane's. However, there was a minor difference that was barely noticeable. Mine was comparable to that of a wind chime and slightly lower, while hers was more of a light bell. "I don't know what I did, or how I did it. It was instinctive," I tried to explain.

I felt frustrated that I had no tangible explanation for my rather abrupt actions. Was this part of my mental shield? That didn't seem likely—having the ability to shove vampires away. I thought my mental shield limited solely to mental gifts? It wasn't applicable to any physical gifts. On the other hand, I suppose it could be construed as a mental shield—I didn't actually _physically_ touch anyone, yet they still moved away from me.

"Could you see it?" I wondered aloud.

The three of them nodded their heads. "I caught it briefly just before I was hit—a kind of shimmering in the air," Jane noted observantly. "Like the air was visually unstable—distorted," she described. Felix and Demetri both nodded again in agreement.

"I didn't notice it at first," Felix added next. "Actually, I'd thought you were telekinetic or something—you moved your arms, and we flew backwards," he chuckled humorlessly. "But now that I've had time to analyze what you did, I definitely remember a faint distortion in the air that I saw from the corner of my eyes."

Suddenly, I sensed a change in my peripherals; I heard the noise of fabric swishing—rubbing against itself as it swayed in motion—echoing almost imperceptibly down the tunnels. Before I knew it, I'd already compiled a rough mental sketch of the tunnels using the echoes. I could distinguish how differently sound traveled between the stagnant air and the surrounding walls, and map accordingly. My head automatically twisted to the closed door when the noises approached. The wooden door swung wide open, revealing Aro, Santiago, Renata and Heidi.

They were all taken aback as they stepped inside and surveyed the damaged room; only Aro's features were reserved. "We thought we'd heard a commotion, but I didn't realize the Princess put up this much of a fight," Heidi commented absentmindedly, examining the utterly destroyed portions of the floor and walls. Her eyes fixated onto me after a moment with an curious gaze. "Then again, I guess it shouldn't surprise me," she complimented with a wink. Leave it to Heidi for making me smile after a startling situation such as this.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Wasn't much of a fight. She threw us into the wall with some kind of physical shield. Like Renata's, but more outright," she grumbled to the newcomers. Instantly, their maroon eyes flashed onto me, which made me feel embarrassed. I wasn't exactly _trying_ to throw them into a wall. I just… acted without thinking.

"A physical shield?" Aro repeated in disbelief, his feather-light voice skeptical yet interested. Wordlessly, Jane strode up to him and offered her hand as a means of explanation. Aro closed his eyes when he grasped it, shaking his head marginally as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He then opened his milky red eyes and began laughing uproariously, his face giddy with excitement. "My dear Bella, how intriguing you are! I've never doubted your uniqueness, but this…." he shook his head and chuckled again. "You simply continue to astonish us all," he finished. I ducked my head and, reflexively, waited for a blush to appear on my cheeks. It never came.

Renata's face soon turned pensive. "Perhaps her physical shield never manifested when she was human, because she was too physiologically weak," she suggested quietly.

"Perhaps," Aro murmured, matching Renata's thoughtful tone. His eyes met mine, and they unexpectedly became worried, as if he saw something troubling. "Have you hunted yet, Bella?" he inquired, concern leaking into his question.

I shook my head in response, and he frowned a little. Actually, I hadn't been paying any attention to my thirst—my mind was a thousand times better at multitasking; the need for blood was simply pushed aside, shelved in another section of the brain. The desire was still there, of course, but no longer taxing on conscious thought. Consequently, now that Aro mentioned thirst, it was as if my throat abruptly ignited into flames—which it essentially did. I could no longer focus—the dry, itching pain was unbearable.

"I'll take care of it, master," Heidi promised, shooting me a quick smile. My thirst lessened considerably when her eyes flashed with excitement—a look I all too easily recognized. She was up to something, and even though I was in this indestructible vampiric form, I wasn't sure I wanted to find out what she had planned.

She rolled her eyes when she glanced at my expression, her angelic features impatient with anticipation. "Oh, calm down, it's not that bad. I think you're going to like it—your late birthday present. Took me ages to find," she remarked with a sly smirk, which didn't exactly reassure me.

I stared at her with suspicion. "What kind of present?" I asked slowly.

Her smirk widened, exposing her pearly teeth. "The best kind," she said lightly before becoming serious. "Now, come on, enough stalling. We need to take care of your thirst." I groaned internally as my throat burned once again. Why did everyone feel the need to remind me?

Heidi swiftly left the room, leaving the discussion about my actions to those that remained, and I hurriedly trailed behind. I no longer felt uncomfortable traveling through the tunnels—my surroundings didn't bother me. The dark wasn't really dark, as I could see every minute crack in the cobblestone blocks when I passed them, despite lacking some kind of light source—it was clear as day. And the cold, wet temperature that was the norm had no effect on my skin or body. I didn't have the fear of becoming lost, either; I could merely follow Heidi's scent as if it were a visible, tangible thing.

Heidi held open the panel door for me when we reached the main hallway. I exited and inhaled deeply, breathing in the unfamiliar, sweet perfumes that swirled gently in the air. A particular smell stood out—really, it was a combination of three that were similar—from the pleasant mixture. It was much, much sweeter, and for some reason, appealed to my senses differently. My instincts automatically told me it was human; venom involuntarily welled in my mouth, reminding me of how dry my throat was. I tried my best to ignore the flash of pain as Heidi continued guiding me to the main chamber. The delectable scent strengthened in density with every step I took.

As we got closer, I suddenly heard three distinct, wet heartbeats that I hadn't noticed before. They originated from the chamber in front of me, and they were elevated—beating quickly. Heidi pushed open the set of gilded doors, and we both entered. Chelsea and Afton stood at the ready, albeit their postures relaxed, overlooking the three humans that were kneeling on the floor.

One was a lanky man with short, light brown hair. The other two were brunettes and relatively short—their casual clothing told me that they were tourists. They seemed young—perhaps only a few years older than me. Their heads tilted up when they saw both Heidi and I enter, and I could see the fear and confusion in their eyes when they met mine.

"Please," the tall man begged, his voice scratchy and hoarse. "Let us go. We won't tell anyone you kidnapped us. Just please, let us leave!"

Chelsea let out a low, threatening rumble from her chest. "Quiet," she growled. The man became silent and still immediately. The hairs on the back of his neck rose in intimidation, along with his heart rate. "Hey, Princess," Chelsea greeted politely in a softer tone as Afton gave me a respectful nod. She scrutinized me for a moment before smiling. "You look well."

I smiled back at her when I approached the cloaked duo. "Thanks. I'm still… getting used to it." On their own accord, my eyes flickered to the humans by Chelsea's feet. The sound of their heartbeats seemed to get louder the longer I gazed; the _whooshing_ of blood as it was pumped through the heart, past all the valves, and into the artery. In an instant, the scorching desert that was my throat burst into an intense flame. The relief was _right there_ —I struggled to stay still and not act rashly.

Chelsea had a sympathetic expression on her face when I looked back. "We'll leave you to it, then," she said with urgency, bowing her head and disappeared through the doors with Afton following after her.

"Happy birthday, Princess," Heidi congratulated happily, gesturing to the three humans, all of whom had looks of astonishment on their faces after witnessing Chelsea run—I knew she was a blur to their eyes. "I know it's two days late, but I figured I'd get you something special. I had to search for a while, trying to lure specific humans that smelled particularly tastier than usual," she stated proudly.

I gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Heidi," I murmured, momentarily touched by her considerate gesture. To be honest, I'd expected expensive clothes per her usual custom. I felt guilty that she went through the trouble of finding the humans, let alone those with better blood.

"Enjoy," she replied, returning my smile. She turned to leave, but I interrupted her, inexplicable panic seizing me.

"Umm, Heidi?" I glanced at the humans. "How am I supposed to do this?" I asked, frustrated. I was also embarrassed—I was a vampire, for crying out loud. What kind of vampire doesn't know how to drink blood?

She simply laughed her pealing laugh. "Oh, Princess, you're over-thinking this too much. Just do what you feel like doing—trust your instincts," Heidi giggled before winking and bounding away from the room. Well, _that_ was helpful. Her airy footsteps were soon overshadowed by the sound of the creaking, golden doors closing and a heavy bolt sliding into place, followed by a sharp clang when it finally locked.

I inhaled, filling my lungs with the delicious scent of human blood inside their bodies. My body automatically shifted into a crouch, back curving slightly. My eyes focused on the man, and I let out a low, deep growl. I could hear the abrupt change in their heart rate; the thudding of their quickened pulse around their necks. It promised to quench my itching thirst.

I sprang, launching myself to where the male was, and grabbed him by the shoulders. His futile attempts to escape my steel grasp went unnoticed. I sank my sharp teeth into his soft neck, crushing the windpipe. His gurgling screams were largely ignored; the blood was _so_ sweet. It flowed exquisitely hot, bringing instant, gratifying relief to my parched throat as I sucked and gulped. It felt as if only a second had passed before he ran dry—my thirst flared up again with a vengeance. I let his body fall to the ground with a dull thud and wiped my mouth—an old reflex. The other two humans were already scrambling to their feet, invested in a pointless attempt to escape me. I quickly hunted each of them down, breaking their necks with my teeth again when I drank. My stomach was full by the time I'd finished. I exhaled forcibly, feeling elated that I was finally relieved of my aching thirst—it was muted, sated. It was no longer a distraction.

I twisted to face the door when I heard the bolt sliding, and Heidi and Santiago both stepped inside. Heidi's face immediately became amused when she examined me. "Oh, Princess," she chuckled. Puzzled, I glanced down at my shirt—the same one I had wore on my birthday—and saw the source of her amusement. I hadn't been paying much attention to being neat whist I fed; my outfit was stained with drops of dried, rust-colored blood.

"Oops." was my only reply.

Heidi rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I bought you some new clothes in addition to your birthday present—you really didn't think I would forget, did you?" She smirked, pleased at the opportunity of forcing upon me her wardrobe choices.

I sighed, momentarily exasperated, yet grateful for her decision to purchase me some clothes. "Of course not, Heidi," I admitted in defeat.

Her smirk widened substantially. "Santiago, do you mind?" Heidi asked, looking pointedly at the corpses that lay strewn about in the chamber.

He shook his head. "Not at all." He promptly began picking up the drained bodies and slinging them over his broad shoulders. He pulled up the metal grate the sat in the center with one hand, dropping his burden in, then placed the grate back. The bodies landed somewhere deep down with a muted thud.

Heidi glanced at me. "Let's go."

 **A/N: Next up should be Bella training with the various Volturi members** —s **he needs to prepare herself as a permanent addition to the family!**


	11. Chapter 11: Training

**A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter which features Bella learning her new shields, though with some difficulty. Next chapter will be Bella returning to the United States; I wonder what's in store for her in a little town named Forks? As always, be on the lookout for any grammatical errors I might've made, and feel free to leave a review regarding your thoughts!**

 **(Posted on 3/14/17) (Happy Pi day!)**

 **Chapter 11: Training**

"So, I should be good for a few days, right?" I stated, asking Heidi for clarification. I knew newborns became thirsty quicker than mature vampires, yet I had no real sense of it; the burn in my throat was completely sated. But I still wanted to be on the safe side if I had to be near humans—Valentina, for example. I had no desire to fulfill the notion that I was a typical young, wild, bloodthirsty vampire. I was better than that.

She nodded her head as we strolled along the brightly lit hallway. "Yes, you should be. I'll have to fish more humans," she murmured to herself, frowning a little. Her response didn't necessarily make me feel great—I was inconveniencing her a lot, by the look of it. I sighed internally.

"Sorry," I apologized quietly, the guilt settling in. I gave her my best attempt at an apologetic smile, but it came out half-heartedly.

To my surprise, she laughed good-naturedly. "I wouldn't worry about it, Princess. We can always store a few in the dungeons," Heidi grinned, pausing for a moment to pull aside the piece of paneling that hid the passageway to me and my family's rooms. "Now hurry up, I want to show you your new clothes!" she urged excitedly, while I felt horror surface onto my face that I tried futilely to smother.

Upon Heidi's hurried insistence, we made it to my room in no time at all. I pushed open the door and was immediately flooded with a delicious, but faint, human scent. There was a prick to my throat, but nothing too unmanageable; rather, it was just uncomfortable. A muddled part of my brain realized that this alluring aroma was once mine.

I breathed in more of the freesia scent. "Wow. I smelled like this?" I questioned in astonishment, glancing at Heidi. How did any vampire operate around me? Even inhaling this days-old scent sent powerful flashes of flames down my throat.

She chuckled humorlessly, sounding like a hollow, ringing bell. "It was difficult at first. Although you were such an adorable child, your blood was still extremely potent to us. However, we eventually grew used to it," she replied, nonchalant.

I shook my head with disbelief. I had to give credit where credit was due. "I'm amazed that you guys were able to resist."

She shrugged her shoulders like it was nothing; not a big deal. "Anything for our Princess," said Heidi, flashing me a cocky smile.

I rolled my eyes in response and finally entered my room. Pivoting a bit to the left to inspect my closet, my eyes popped open in shock when they finally made contact. My cherry-wood wardrobe was apparently no longer mine—the doors were shunted to the side, revealing the overflowing articles of clothing that hung within. It was stuffed with an abundance of expensive-looking, designer clothes that she'd somehow managed to fit it all in.

"Heidi…" I choked out breathlessly. "What did you _do_?" Except for my coal black cloak, given to me by Aro two years ago, there was nothing that I recognized inside.

She stepped in as well, fluidly flittered to the closet, and outstretched her arms like some kind of television show host. "I got you new clothes," she answered, perplexed at my reaction.

"But what about my old ones?" I asked dumbly. Of course I knew where they were—gone forever. Probably set on fire by her, too.

Her face scrunched up slightly with disdain. "Oh, those hideous things? I threw them out."

I gaped at her, baffled, before shaking my head in resignation. "Heidi," I sighed with mild exasperation, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Why did you do that?" I wanted at least to choose my own clothes; it was one of the few ways I had to express myself. Plus, everything Heidi and Chelsea got me was usually better suited for some kind of classy restaurant situation.

"I figured new you, new outfits," she said earnestly. She then retrieved a long, thin, vibrant red dress from my closet. It resembled something straight out of a chick flick where the protagonist had to attend a conventional nightclub or party. "See? I know you'll look _really_ good in this," Heidi enthused, putting emphasis on the 'really'.

"No way. I am _not_ wearing during my training," I protested, folding my arms across my chest. I planned on meeting Renata to discuss my shield; I wanted her insight since she was the only other person that I could relate to gift-wise. I was also eager to train with her to make my shields stronger. I still lacked conscious—frankly, any—control over them.

Sadly, however, I made the fatal mistake of not looking away from Heidi as her crimson eyes were suddenly filled with a striking sadness. "Please?" she pleaded, her face slipping onto an absolutely angelic demeanor and her bottom lip jutted out ever so slightly as she pouted.

It was impossible to resist; hence, why she did it. I half-groaned, half-sighed in defeat, internally cursing myself for bringing her along with me to my room. "Fine," I growled mutedly.

Conceding to her efforts with poor grace, I yanked the dress from her, taking extra care not to accidentally tear it, and ran into my bathroom. I shut the door and hastily changed out of the previous outfit—still spattered with dried blood. The smooth satin fabric hugged my hard skin comfortably when I slipped into it, pulling it down from over my head. It was probably a size too small, the way Heidi preferred, but now the dress conformed to my body rather than the other way around.

Heidi anxiously yanked me out of the bathroom when I'd finished changing. I stood impossibly still in front of the tall mirror as she appraised me, a wide grin on her lips. I stared at the motionless, yet lithe, person in front of me while she stared back. The young woman in the reflection held herself with a certain grace—an air of power and beauty.

"It matches your eyes," Heidi pointed out, bringing me back to my senses. The bright maroon hue of the dress truly did match the ruby color of my iris, making me smile involuntarily. "I told you it would look good," she gloated with a smirk upon seeing my reaction.

The pale, perfect being mirrored my roll of the eyes. "Now are you happy? I want to talk to Renata about my shield," I spoke impatiently.

Heidi nodded. "Very happy. I won't hold you any further," she cheerfully dismissed, completely satisfied with having imposed onto me an article of clothing she admired. Truthfully, wearing a dress no longer felt like a demanding chore; I barely paid attention to the fact that I had it on. It didn't feel as constricting compared to when I was still human.

With another internal sigh, I decided to allow Heidi free reign on my entire wardrobe from now on—I shuddered a little at the thought. She'd deserved the right, regardless, having put up with me for the past twelve years. I swiftly exited the room, leaving her standing behind, poring over my closet. While I strolled, I searched for Renata's scent that I remembered from our brief encounter—a light, fragrant odor, similar to tang of spearmint. Not long after, I caught her fresh trail departing from the tunnel where I'd had been changed. It continued down the main hallway, toward the chamber, and I followed, entering the half-filled room.

Various vampires stood about, except for Aro, Marcus and Caius; they were sitting down on their thrones, as usual. "Princess!" Jane called out, standing near the wall to my left, with what appeared to be Alec.

I quickly strode toward them. "Hey Jane, Alec," I addressed casually when I reached the two. Alec seemed aloof as examined me, his red eyes cautious. I had my suspicions that Jane already informed him of what had happened regarding my gift. I rolled my eyes, irked. "I'm not going to bite," I muttered under my breath.

Finally, he smiled, revealing a row of small, perfectly white teeth. "I know, Princess, but you can't blame me for being a _little_ wary. Especially if you did throw Jane into the wall," he chortled amusedly, prompting Jane to punch his arm. "Ow!"

Her crimson eyes glittered with cute kitten-like anger. "She did _not_ throw me into the wall. Her shield did," Jane clarified.

"Same difference, Jane," Alec argued, rubbing his arm a little.

I laughed as quietly as I could, leaving the bickering pair once I spotted Renata, who was conversing with Demetri. "Hello Renata, Demetri," I greeted as I approached.

"Hello, Princess," they both answered.

Demetri scrutinized me before smiling. "I'll leave you two alone to discuss whatever you need," he excused himself. He joined another group consisting of Felix and some of the transitionary guard members.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, light worry lacing her tone.

"Much better after hunting, thank you," I reassured with a smile. "What did you and Aro talk about?" I inquired curiously. Maybe she had more insight about my gift than I did.

Renata shrugged her thin shoulders. "Not a whole lot, as we do not know the full extent of your gift. Though we did hypothesize that you _do_ have two shields, rather than one—a mental and physical. And that the physical one was hidden as a result of you being human and, subsequently, having a lack of strength," she said, her face becoming pensive.

My eyebrows furrowed as I processed the information. "How do I control either of them?"

"I can try to teach you. But considering you have two polar opposite shields, I'm unsure if I can help with any," she warned slowly, her voice hesitant. "Well, perhaps only the mental one."

I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?" I asked, confused. I thought both my shields were purely mental? Wasn't my mental shield sort of like Renata's gift? It was only a bit different.

"Your physical shield is, to put it simply, _physically_ there. It's not a mental manifestation like mine, where an attacker cannot see it and winds up with a distorted memory. Yours is much more prominent, but also extremely powerful," she explained as I felt my eyes widen from surprise.

"How do you know I still have a mental shield?" I questioned.

She smiled mischievously—a rare sight. "I asked Jane earlier to try her gift as soon as you came in, and seeing how you're completely oblivious to that fact, I'd say that's a good indicator," she divulged, looking proud of herself. I gave her a look of disapproval; her expression became sheepish as a result. "Sorry, Princess," she apologized, eyes darting down to the floor.

I just shook my head. "No need. No harm done, regardless," I added. I mean, how else was I supposed to test my mental shield? "So, how do _you_ control your shield?" I wanted to see how she did it—the resulting knowledge might help with mine. I was optimistic that I _could_ command my shield to the extent of Renata's.

"I think of my shield as just another extension of myself, one that can be controlled like a muscle or extremity. I will it to expand, or to contract, and it obeys," she mused aloud.

I pursed my lips as I ran her words through my mind, over and over again, like a mantra. It was definitely easier said than done. I took a deep breath, tasting her prominent minty scent on my tongue, and exhaled slowly in an attempt to clear my mind. I could faintly sense _something_ hovering above my skin, acting as an additional, second layer. It was difficult to distinguish—it clung to my body closer than the dress I was wearing. How was I supposed to 'will it to expand' when I had no clue _how_ to expand it? Despite the mounting angst, I gritted my teeth and thought about heaving the thin layer away from my body. I imagined shoving it with my hands, willing it further and further.

Nothing happened. I took another breath to steady myself, clamping down on my growing frustration, and tried again. Nothing. I exhaled a little forcefully, and methodically switched to another tactic. I remembered I had actually extended my arms out to create my shield right after my transformation. Perhaps it required the same motion?

It felt silly, but I threw my arms out, mimicking what I'd done previously. Much to my surprise, I noted a change—my palms became the focal exit point for my shield. It shot out a thin, clear beam before plateauing and expanding, generating a paper thin layered dome that surrounded me.

A sharp gasp broke my deep concentration; I felt the shield retract, snapping immediately back to place. My eyes flew open and met Renata's awed ones. "Princess," she said breathlessly. "I saw you project it!" she exclaimed excitedly.

I nodded, too focused to speak out that she had distracted me, and closed my eyes once more when Renata became quiet. I forced my physical shield away again with the same motion, feeling the energy travel length-wise down the surface of my arms and out my hands. I sluggishly opened my eyes, examining the transparent dome that enveloped me—it left two feet of space inbetween myself and the shield. I retracted my arms; the shield stayed in place. Renata was outside, looking in with an expression of pure astonishment. I was vaguely aware that all the vampires within the room were staring at me—mostly in disbelief and shock. Three faces stood out: Aro's enthusiastic smile, Caius's suddenly interested expression, and Marcus's customary 'bored' appearance.

Renata circled me, inspecting my dome with unadulterated intrigue. She abruptly stopped and punched the wall as hard and fast as she could—I was barely able to track the movement of her balled fist. A sharp prick jabbed my shield the same time a resounding boom echoed the room—it sounded like a clap of thunder. The shield became surprising white where she'd made contact, a milky color instead of being translucent-clear. Renata's punch didn't hurt me in any way, but it wasn't necessarily enjoyable either; it was moreso the fact that I'd registered the hit in my mind.

"Cool," I mumbled from inside the dome as deafening silence overtook the chamber. Once the guards realized I was perfectly fine, their moods lightened; some began to chuckle in amusement while others shook their heads, stunned by Renata's demonstration.

"Renata!" I heard Aro say. "Not so loud. We do not wish to arouse suspicion," he chastised softly. His face was relaxed, however, so I didn't think it was that serious. In fact, I'd wager that he was too enthralled to really care.

Renata bowed her head at once. "My apologies, master," she promptly responded. She then twisted to face me, her scarlet irises flashing with anticipation. "Shall we resume our training? Try extending your mental shield now."

I nodded in agreement. I felt like I had a good grasp of my physical shield. Not excellent, by all means, but decent enough. I knew I could project it farther and hold it there if I wished—the shield wasn't as mentally demanding as I'd originally thought. And it felt exactly like what Renata had said earlier: my shield was a part, an extension, of myself.

My attempts to conjure up my mental shield ended in embarrassing failure. There was not a single instance where I could ascertain it had moved or if I could even feel it—anything at all. Whereas my physical shield had hovered almost imperceptibly above my skin, there was nothing for me to grasp onto. What I desperately needed was a starting point, a definitive part of my body where I could focus on to push out my shield.

"Have you tried projecting it with your mind?" Renata suggested after a pause from my unfruitful endeavors. "You utilize your arm movement for your physical shield; ergo, it's possible that you need to use your brain. It is a mental shield, after all," she carefully explained.

I frowned ever so slightly. Well, theoretically, it made sense. And a hypothesis was an improvement on blind, random attempts to produce my shield. Gritting my teeth, I thought of pushing my shield away from my mind. At first, there was no reaction I could detect. Shortly thereafter, I instantly perceived a small, but growing silver-metallic bulb that emanated from my head. It was extremely difficult to move—it resisted every force, every mental command I'd willed. I shoved as hard as I could, causing it to shroud my body for a fleeting second before it snapped back like a rubber band stretched to it's maximum limit.

"What happened?" Renata queried, confused at my panting, out-of-breath state. I took several deep breaths, calming myself. The mental shield was ten times more mentally challenging than the physical. It had taken every single ounce of my concentration to move it, and even so, it didn't move much.

"Did you see it?" I said, rudely ignoring her question.

She shook her head. "See what?" she replied, her tone confused.

I frowned to myself, pursing my lips. "I _believe_ my mental shield isn't visible to others," I stated tentatively. "I could see it myself, but you reacted indifferently when I moved it." I suppose it was logical. My physical shield was physically there, inhibiting people from moving through it; on the other hand, my mental shield defeated mental gifts, which aren't necessarily physical—they affected the mind.

She nodded in understanding. "It's the same with mine. I can visualize it when I decide to project it, yet others cannot."

 **A/N: Yay, Bella did it! Hmm, she looks like she's having trouble with her mental shield, however. Hopefully, she'll be able to strengthen her shields with additional practice.**


	12. Chapter 12: Preparations and Flight

**A/N: Hola todos! Okay, so this chapter isn't Bella visiting Forks, but I sincerely promise the next one will. It's a little "fluffy", but crucial to setting up her trip back. As usual, feel free to leave a review and look out for any mistakes I may have made (it's been a long week).**

 **(Posted on 3/29/17)**

 **Chapter 12: Preparations and Flight**

After a month of intense training, I could reliably project my mental shield approximately twenty feet and hold it in place; the dogged encouragement of Renata was a contributing factor to my success. However, a setback I suffered was that I needed to concentrate _hard_ —otherwise, the dome would contract and shrink at random, which frustrated me. I had far better luck with my physical shield—I was able to expand it around four times the distance compared to the mental. I didn't know why, but my physical shield just came easier to me.

Although I initially opposed the idea, sparring with Felix, Demetri and Santiago proved to be an enjoyable endeavour. Technically, it was learning on how to react defensively to potential threats. 'Just in case,' as Demetri put it, the purpose was so that I had something to fall back on if my shields failed for whatever reason. Challenging against, inarguably, the three best fighters the Volturi Guard had to offer, meant I spent a lot of my time pinned face down into the cobblestone floor. Yet, I still gleaned a multitude of useful moves I could potentially utilize in the future—from dodging frontal, side or rear attacks, to quickly turning the tide by evading, then countering the attacker, forcing a favorable engagement with the element of surprise. And since I no longer required petty sleep, it meant drilling everyday, to nearly every hour, along with my shields. I absorbed much; making the same mistake often led you to being taken down.

These preparations were part of my negotiation—and subsequent deal—with Aro, Caius and Marcus; though calling it a 'deal' was probably an inaccurate term. Truthfully, they had merely suggested I train for said month to solidify my gift, as well as a crash course in hand-to-hand combat. And, to be honest, I felt uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the extremely safe confines of my home without any training.

I was planning to travel—well, return would be the correct term, albeit twelve years late—back to the United States, which made me both nervous and excited. Because I couldn't remember a whole lot about my human family—my young age and vampirism both wore away any discernible memories—I yearned to discover information from my own, brief past life. The only detail I retained through the years were where I had resided—Phoenix, Arizona—and my father's small hometown of Forks, Washington. I'd remembered that small facet of my father because of my arranged adoption by his friend, Billy. If I had been adopted, as was the original intention, I wouldn't have met Felix and Demetri; consequently, I wouldn't have left for Italy, nor met my family.

"Princess," a high, melodic voice—it was Jane—addressed quietly, breaking me out of my trance. I slowly twirled around, and smiled when I spotted her standing still, cloaked, in the doorway. "Are you ready?" she questioned. In her hands were the forged legal documents that would make my trip considerably easier: my fake American passport and driver's license.

I nodded my head. "Give me a second," I replied. I glanced back to my bed, where a large, filled backpack laid on the sheets. Despite Heidi's sulking, I was able to pack some _normal_ clothes—like jeans and shirts, instead of cocktail dresses. She had reluctantly agreed when I argued my case for remaining inconspicuous—vibrant, expensive clothes didn't necessarily accomplish that.

Other than clothing, there was my wallet that contained some cash and a credit card, which was linked to one of the Volturi's many offshore bank accounts. A brand new smartphone was also placed inside, as a means of communication, along with some cases of Heidi's colored contacts—they were a solid blue color, and would camouflage my crimson ones into a less terrifying hue. After stuffing my black cloak into the bag, I double-checked my nondescript outfit, making sure nothing was out of place. I quickly zipped the plain ebony backpack, swinging it easily over my shoulders—it weighed as light as a feather.

"Let's go," I prompted. We made our way to lobby in comfortable silence, taking the short elevator ride up. When the doors slid open, I was instantly assaulted by Valentina's delicious, clean scent—she smelled like cherries. It had been two days since I last fed, and my thirst was beginning to show. I hurriedly swallowed back the venom that flooded my mouth and walking toward her desk.

"Valentina," I nodded in greeting as I stepped past her.

She flinched slightly, startled at the sound of my voice, and her heart beat a bit faster. "Princess, Jane," she answered respectfully, forming a small, polite smile when she finally spotted me. She eyed my luggage with curiosity, but didn't say anything. Smart of her—asking too many questions would have irritated Jane, which was a dangerous prospect. Jane gave Valentina a brisk nod in acknowledgement as she, too, strolled past.

I stopped by the door. "Where are we meeting Demetri and Felix?" I inquired, speaking too low and swift for Valentina to hear, peering outside into the welcoming midnight darkness.

"Right outside the city, by the western gate," Jane responded with matching volume.

"Alright. Lead the way." Jane listened attentively before darting across the vacant plaza. I trailed behind her, using her peach scent as a guide. We stuck close to the shadows, weaving inbetween the empty alleyways, watching for signs of any nearby humans as we ran. Eventually, we slowed down when we reached the edge of the city. I emerged from the nearby gloomy alley, sauntering through the sandy arch, inspecting the metal portcullis that hung above with mock interest—an attempt to mimic a tourist.

I caught not two, but three recognizable scents that wafted in the air, which momentarily confused me. I'd been expecting only Demetri and Felix—the third was an all-too-familiar jasmine, which meant only one thing—Heidi. "Princess!" she called out in her high, musical voice, materializing beside a parked black SUV—a Cadillac—with Felix and Demetri. She wore a bright purple dress, which I sort-of half expected; it contrasted with the boring, pale gray cloaks of Felix and Demetri.

My eyebrows knitted together. "What are you doing here, Heidi?" I asked, confusion coloring my tone.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to pick up my latest catch, and it's near your layover stop. I figured I could kill two birds with one stone," Heidi explained. I automatically felt a smile play on my lips. I was elated that someone I knew was accompanying me—somehow, it being Heidi made me feel better.

Demetri cleared his throat. "Shall we?" he suggested, gesturing to the car with a sweep of his arm. He opened the back passenger door for me, and I thanked him as I climbed in. Heidi and Jane followed; Demetri got in the driver's seat, while Felix sat in the adjacent passenger side.

The engine quietly revved when Demetri hit the accelerator. I gazed out my window, watching the Tuscan countryside rapidly flash by as the minutes passed. There wasn't much sound beside the gentle hum of the engine, the tires rolling against the asphalt, and our shallow breathing. I didn't know whether it was nerves or something else that made everyone so silent—I suspected it was the former. This trip was my first _real_ time I was going to be completely alone, without members of the Guard escorting me like they usually did. Part of this made me feel dejected, perhaps even afraid; I had always enjoyed their humorous presence, especially my close friends—Demetri, Felix, Heidi and Jane.

Yet, I suppose I couldn't blame myself for feeling this way. I had been shrouded in secrecy and protection nearly my whole human life, and consequently, the existence of vampires was all I knew and could comprehend. Suddenly, being alone presented itself as a new, frightening challenge—how to become self-sufficient when I had been taken care for my entire life. I _could_ have asked Aro to order someone to accompany me, though I doubted anyone would've objected—when I had declared my intention to return weeks ago, many of my friends had offered to stay with me. What puzzled them was my answer: 'No'. It was difficult to fathom, but I always inherently believed that this trip be made alone. I wanted to uncover details regarding my human parents alone. I felt like they—and myself—deserved the right to privacy, to not have a friend with me while I explored my old life.

Demetri pulled up into a small, isolated, but well-lit airport after an hour or so, driving past the shunted metal gate and stopped alongside the long tarmac. A tiny, nimble-looking white jet sat at our end of the runway with the lettering 'G650' printed on the tail and engine. To my surprise, there was what appeared to be a human standing next to it, immaculately dressed in a black two-piece suit. Reassuringly, I knew our eyes were dark enough with thirst as to not arouse any unnecessary suspicion. I unlocked and pushed open my door, flooding the car and my senses with the faint smell of human blood. The night temperature must have been cold because the pilot—that's who I assumed it was—seemed to be shivering marginally, rubbing the top of his arms with his hands.

My friends assembled in a loose line before me, smiling, but with saddened expressions. I briskly closed the distance between them, hugging Demetri first, and tightly so; I breathed in his familiar cinnamon scent. "Stay safe, Princess," he murmured worriedly into my ear.

"I will," I promised, turning to face Felix, who stared at me with puppy-dog eyes. He bawled loudly, then crushed me in a vise-like hug. I involuntarily laughed a wheezy, breathless laugh, wrapping my arms around his large body and leaned my head against his shoulder—just like I would always do when I was younger.

"Remember what we taught you," Felix said softly in a abnormally serious tone after I'd backed away.

I nodded my head. "I will," I repeated confidently. I twisted to look at Jane. "Take care of these two for me, will you?" I asked, unable to fight the smile that crept up onto my lips.

She grinned widely in response. "Of course, Princess," she chuckled when I leaned in and embraced her delicate frame. I exchanged another set of hugs and goodbyes before Demetri, Felix and Jane returned to the Cadillac. The sounds of doors being opened and the car engine turning over filled the cool, empty air; I watched them drive away, feeling a little remorseful—I didn't know when I could see them again.

With a heavy sigh, I pivoted to face the plane, scrutinizing the pilot for a moment. He was in his late thirties, early forties, had warm, brown eyes—similar to oak—and hair to match. He looked very professional—his suit was spotless, which was an achievement in of itself.

"Hello, miss Ricci," he greeted in a low, soft-spoken voice when we approached. Ricci—I assumed it was an alias Heidi had concocted for her travels. Honesty, I thought it was rather funny; the ironic connotation suited Heidi's exorbitant lifestyle perfectly. The pilot examined me as discreetly as he could manage, for which I was mildly grateful. Most humans tended to gawk without any restraint—granted, it was certainly flattering, but it got annoying after a while. "My apologies, but I was not expecting another passenger," he stated with regret.

Heidi flashed him an stunning smile—I had to stifle my laughter as his eyes became unfocused, dazed into silence. He blinked several times, and shook his head, most likely trying to regather his cognitive functions and clear his mind. "No worries, Peter, this is a friend of mine. And, as expected, I'll wire you the money for her ticket as well," she reassured with a seductive lilt in her tone. Heidi was capable of putting anyone into a befuddled state—vampires included. Part of it was her gift, part of it was her natural beauty, which truthfully, was difficult to distinguish between the two.

He wobbled slightly as he staggered to the jet, pausing when he got close enough to access a small panel built flush into the aircraft. After toying with some buttons, the stairs slowly flipped out; carpeted in a beautiful red velvet. He waited patiently for us to board before climbing up the steps himself, pressing another button from inside, causing the stairs to retract back. The sharp click of the lock securely clasping the door was oddly reassuring. Peter went to the cockpit and carefully shut the door behind him.

I inspected the interior of the cabin—the flooring was made of the same luxurious red material as the door steps. Several spacious seats were spaced evenly among the cabin, the spotless upholstery an exquisite pearl color, and it smelled of rich leather. There were also cozy tables placed in front of the chairs, with a glossy coat of some kind of protective varnish. The extravagance certainly screamed 'the best money could buy'.

I made my way toward one of the closest seats and flopped down, resting against the supple padding. Heidi took the one across from me. "So, what's up with you and _Peter_?" I asked, arching an eyebrow, and putting a suggestive emphasis on his name.

Heidi trilled a light laugh. "Oh, nothing. Peter's just one of the pilots I use whenever I'm flying and transporting the humans I catch. He's actually married, but he still enjoys my presence a little bit too much," she winked, prompting me to roll my eyes in sheer amusement and disbelief. Leave it to Heidi to flirt with a human, while she brought the other ones to their awaited slaughter, all unbeknownst to the previous.

The jet engines began to whine; I could hear the muffled, controlled explosions occurring from within, driving the propeller shaft, and spinning the fans to an incredible velocity. The jet started rolling down the runway, its speed increasing the further we traveled. Soon after, the nose of the plane gently tilted up, and the body followed suit, lifting off the ground. After a few minutes, I immediately knew it was going to be a very long seven hours. The cabin, pressurized and oxygenated with recycled air, was filled with the appealing, maddening scent of our human pilot. Sighing internally, I simply decided to stop breathing instead of torturing myself—though it was uncomfortable, I'd rather deal with the awkward sensation than constantly being reminded of my growing thirst.

Our first stop would be New York City, where Heidi and I planned to split up; she was heading for Manhattan while I was to connect to another flight, bound for Seattle. A shiver of pure impatience and nervousness trembled down my spine. Obviously, I was eager to travel to Forks and determine if my father's friend was still residing there. There was one _major_ complication: I didn't actually know his surname, just that he was referred to as Billy. That detail made me understandably anxious, despite the impracticality—I could always search for his blood relatives, legal records, and if I'd exhausted all options to no avail, I would simply return home. It was only the missing knowledge of my human self that nagged me; it felt like a piece of me was gone, disappeared. All my life, I'd wondered about my own past, and if I would ever obtain any answers. I wasn't going to let my chance slip away so easily.

I pulled off my cloak, stuffing it into my backpack—I had no need for it now, and it would only serve to gather the attention of other humans if I left it on. My eyes slid closed, and I laid my head against the comfortable seat, becoming very still. The soft thrumming of the engines, as well as Heidi's even breathing, helped to pass the time.

"Princess," she whispered after six hours and forty-three minutes of silence. I slowly reopened my eyes and looked at her. Despite my prolonged immobility, I still felt completely relaxed. "We're almost here," Heidi informed quietly, her usually genial voice sounding ever so melancholy. I suddenly noticed the radio chatter between our pilot and a control tower, illustrating her point. I nodded and sat a bit straighter in response.

The jet slanted at a greater downward angle, marking our descent toward the brightly illuminated ground. From the sky, I was able to distinguish the individual concrete and steel skyscrapers; each pane of glass it held and which ones light faintly shone through. I was taken aback at how different this urban city was, compared to the Italian cities Heidi often brought me to visit—those were comically constricted and compact. The tires screeched in protest when they first touched the runway, gradually bringing the aircraft to a halt. We had landed at a large, expansive airport this time—the ones designed for international commercial flights.

Peter exited the cockpit when we finished taxiing to our designated location, walking over to the door from where we had originally entered. "Ladies," he acknowledged politely, pushing a button and causing the deployment of the door. I stood up and, after giving him a courteous nod, went down the stairs with Heidi right behind. My two shoed feet stepped onto the ground; I realized that the last time I'd been on the same soil—the same country—I was still human. Memories of that unforgettable night when I'd first met Felix and Demetri, although fleeting and blurry, flooded my mind, making me smile.

"Miss Ricci," Peter called out from the top of the stairs, causing us to turn around.

"Yes?" Heidi answered. She shot him a breathtaking smile, though I could tell she was impatient—her eyes were nearing blackness. Which reminded me of my own, which made me sigh internally at the burn in my throat.

He lost the ability to speak for a moment. "I—I would suggest you stay here, as—" he pointed to another jet, the same make and model as ours. "—your flight is scheduled to depart in a few minutes." He seemed extremely disappointed with that fact. However, he perked up considerably when he glanced at me. "I'm afraid, miss…" he trailed off.

"Bella, please," I finished. It felt… strange to say my name aloud. I was so used to being addressed to as 'princess' by my friends and members of the Guard.

"Miss Bella. Our plane requires refueling, which will take approximately thirty minutes. I would recommend heading inside and out of this cold," he informed.

"Yes, thank you," I replied, trying not to sound dismissive and curt, but pretty sure I'd failed; Peter ducked his head back into the cockpit. Heidi raised an eyebrow at me, but I ignored it. I didn't enjoy taking orders from other people, least of all a human; unless the person was from my family, or a close friend, it was usually me who gave out the instructions.

"That wasn't very polite," she noted, an amused tone in her voice.

"I have another five hour flight with him, Heidi," I half-groaned, half-complained. "Coupled with the fact that I'm thirsty." It wasn't that I didn't like the man. My growing irritability stemmed from the lack of fresh blood in my system.

She chuckled darkly. "Thankfully, mine is so short, I think I'll have enough time for a _real_ hunt." Her entire face lit up, onyx eyes flashed with excitement, taking on the appearance of an angel of destruction.

I rolled my own dark eyes. "Heidi, you had a 'real' hunt with me and Jane two weeks ago," I pointed out.

She pouted, jutting out her lower lip adorably. "That one doesn't count. We were teaching you."

"Yes, Heidi, I'm sure the act of killing and drinking a human changes with my mere presence," I said with sarcasm.

She grinned. "It does." Our playful banter was interrupted by the entrance of another pilot, somewhat younger, but dressed in the same professional fashion as our previous one.

The man looked pointedly at Heidi. "Sorry for the interruption, ma'am, but your plane is ready," he notified with a cordial voice.

Heidi turned her attention back to me before tenderly embracing my frame. "Goodbye, Princess," she whispered silently. I hugged her back fiercely; I knew most likely it would be a long time since I'd see her again.

"Goodbye, Heidi."

 **A/N: Anddddd Bella is finally on her own! Yay independent Bella! So the next chapter will be her arrival to Forks. Hmm. What's going to happen there?**


	13. Chapter 13: Forks, Washington

**A/N: Hey everybody! Well, Bella is finally returning to her father's hometown of Forks, Washington** — **hence the chapter title. Sorry the posting was delayed as I had difficulty making Bella's interactions with a certain vampire flow smoothly. Hopefully, it meets (or exceeds) your expectations. As usual, feel free to leave your thoughts and comments regarding this chapter with a review, and be on the lookout for any grammatical mistakes I may have made.**

 **(Posted on 4/2/17)**

 **Chapter 13: Forks, Washington and Friends**

I watched with a heavy heart as Heidi's jet gradually disappeared from sight, blending into the cloudy, black, but starlit sky. For the first time in my life, I was truly alone, isolated; no one would be coming to rescue me if I was in imminent danger. And though I highly doubted anyone would be capable of hurting me, it was still both an invigorating and frightening prospect. I finally had individuality in a time where I was accustomed to the constant presence of my friends and family.

Light footsteps sounded from behind me, along with a even, wet heartbeat. "Excuse me, miss Bella, but our flight departs now," Peter notified politely.

Sighing inaudibly to myself, I turned around. "Thank you, Peter." I followed him leisurely back aboard the plane, taking my previous comfy seat. The jet taxied onto the runway, and just like before, the engines whined; we took off from the bright airport without a hitch. I sank against the leather chair, the silence in the cabin more prominent without Heidi's presence. It was going to be a very long flight—about four hours from New York to Port Angeles.

I gazed out the window mindlessly as we flew, watching darkened fluffy clouds, slightly illuminated by moonlight, pass idly by. I was going have to devote some time in Port Angeles to hunt. In addition to my current nature as a newborn, being trapped a few thousand feet in the air and inhaling the human tainted oxygen wasn't necessarily the best environment for my thirst; each scorching breath I took only aggravated it more. There wasn't much I could do to lessen the pain, which was frustrating.

I sat motionless for the remainder of the flight until I'd noticed the shift in the orientation of the plane—it was now pointed downward at eight degrees. We continued to hold our angle for several more minutes, passing through the thick cloud layer, exposing the illuminated city of Port Angeles below. The lights were reassuring—it meant I was able to finally hunt after hours of temptation, as well as signifying my reaching closer to the goal of Forks.

The rubber tires squealed against the asphalt of the runway as they braked, slowly bringing the aircraft to a gentle crawl. We taxied to a halt beside a dreary, beige colored building with a sign labeled 'William R. Fairchild International Airport'. Eager to disembark, I waited impatiently for Peter to exit the cockpit and deploy the stairs; after which, I quickly threw my backpack over my shoulders and darted down, inhaling the fresh, clean, and somewhat damp air once I stepped off. The relief was almost indescribable—the tame, cool breeze flooded my lungs, clearing away Peter's scent.

I didn't bother saying goodbye to Peter—I was too thirsty, and the solid blue contacts I had in my eyes, courtesy of Heidi, were dissipating fast. I still had a couple dozen left—a substantial amount—in my bag, mostly due to Heidi's insistence in case I needed to mingle with humans. Instead, I headed east, toward the downtown district of the city, strolling along the concrete sidewalk.

Most of the neighborhoods I'd visited were affluent residential buildings, filled with sleeping or milling humans. Obviously, I had to find a less _hospitable_ area—where a person's disappearance wouldn't raise an alarm. And so I continued east, sticking close to the shadows wherever possible, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. It was only when my environment shifted from a cordial to an aloof setting that I broadened the scope of my senses, listening keenly for the usual signs of a human—their beating hearts and breathing. There were less properties devoted for housing now, and more shoddy storefronts, some of which appeared to have long since been abandoned.

I was pleasantly surprised when a small group of people—about three—began trailing me. Just to ensure that they were indeed following me, I turned right at the next abandoned intersection, heading straight down a collection of deserted warehouses—the perfect scenario for any malicious intentions to be inflicted upon me, if that was their goal. I slowed down considerably, allowing them to catch up; I could tell by their footsteps they were trying to be stealthy—each step was calculated to minimize the amount of noise created.

Expressions of wonder and amazement flashed through the trio when I suddenly twisted around, facing them. They were all tall males, in their mid twenties, and wore plain, basic clothing—two had on black shirts, the other white, and the same faded light blue jeans.

"May I help you?" I asked innocently in an irresistibly high-pitched tone, barely able to keep the anticipation out from my voice. This was going to be _fun_.

"Yeah," the blond haired boy with the white shirt answered, which I assumed was the leader of their posse, since his two friends were hanging back on his flanks. He reached into his pocket and flicked out a long switchblade, the metallic blade glinting in the limited lighting that a lone streetlamp provided. "You can start by giving me your backpack and wallet," he ordered.

I pouted, jutting out my bottom lip. "But this is mine," I whined, clasping the backpack's shoulder strap a little bit tighter. His entourage came towards me from both sides, surrounding me in a loose circle.

"Listen lady, we don't wanna hurt nobody," his friend warned from my right. "Especially a pretty little thing like you."

"Thanks," I purred, shooting him a small smile for the compliment. "But I'm afraid I'm not the person getting hurt tonight." I growled, the threatening sound originating from the back of my throat. My lips automatically curled over my teeth, and my body acted instinctively; I grabbed the closest man, my left hand grasping his body tightly, and the other went underneath his chin. I pushed my right hand apart just enough to expose the pulsing jugular vein within his neck, and I sank my teeth into it.

He screamed in pain while an explosion of hot blood filled my mouth. I gulped greedily, soothing the dry itch of my parched throat, ignoring his feeble attempts to shove me away. When he became dry, I sighed contentedly and let the lifeless body drop to the ground; however, I was still thirsty—the burn was only half satisfied. My muscles tensed, and I dashed after the second lackey—the other one with the black shirt. He was only a couple of feet down the road before I caught up, bit, and drank him, too. The fiery inferno that was my throat had been quelled, put out.

But now I had to track down the last escaping individual. I let my senses range out once again, searching intently. A quickened heartbeat and panting, as well as the scent of blood, alerted me to his precise location. Other than that, there was no signs of life in a circle mile radius—just a few cars driving along the fringes. He was about two streets over, and wasn't actively moving—he'd either stopped to rest or hide.

I took a few steps back and quickly accelerated in the direction of the wall, closing the distance within a half a second. I pushed off the ground with my right foot, sailing through the air, and positioned my bent legs beneath me to absorb the impact—I landed on top of the roof with a low, muted thud. I commenced hopping from warehouse to warehouse, closing in on the last remaining human. Finally, I reached him and dropped down the walled-off alleyway he was situated in, blocking the exit to the street.

At first, the blond leader didn't hear me; the landing was too quiet, and he hadn't been paying attention. I whistled under my breath, and smiled when his head lifted. He screamed in unadulterated terror when he saw me. "What the fuck are you?" he demanded, voice trembling, scrambling to his feet—he'd been sitting down—and clutched his knife close to his body like a lifeline.

I didn't bother replying—it sounded rhetorical, anyway. "That's not a nice thing to say," I admonished before lunging at him. His blood was tainted with a substance—I suspected it was some kind of strong drug—that made it taste marginally bitter, like an aftertaste. It was definitely a change from the normal clean blood Heidi brought. After I'd finished drinking, I picked up his body and hauled it over my shoulders—I needed to dispose of the corpses properly.

Making sure there was no one near me, I sprinted to the original street, reaching it in only a few seconds. Reassuringly, the drained bodies were still there; I collected the remaining two, slinging them onto my right shoulder, while the other rested on my left. With the burden securely in my grasp, I leapt up onto the roof once more. I thought about where I should hide the bodies—the nearby harbor was deemed to be a good a place as any.

Bounding across the buildings proved an entertaining feat—it gave me a heightened sense of freedom, along with experiencing the rush of flight as I jumped over the periodic alleyways that dotted my path. As I neared my destination, I became conscientious and cautious to my surroundings—a human witnessing my carrying of bodies wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

Thankfully, no one spotted me—I really didn't feel like killing another, anyway. I carefully tossed my backpack aside onto the ground and dove in with my load, swimming—well, it was more like sinking—to the bottom of the murky, polluted harbor. I scanned my surroundings—miraculously, my vision was unobstructed by the amount of filth in the water—and found what I was looking for: a large boulder. I swam to the rock, gripping the algae-covered bottom and lifted, resting it next to the sizable divot it had uncovered. I pushed the remains into the crater, adjusting the positions to ensure it all fit, before placing the boulder back onto its new foundations.

When I surfaced, the overcast sky was already beginning to lighten; it was almost dawn. I hurriedly launched myself from the water, grabbing onto the metal railing that I had previously vaulted over, and paused briefly to wring out my hair and shirt once I hit the sidewalk.

"Shit," I muttered to myself, eyeing the extensive, numerous gashes along my white shirt that revealed parts of my pale stomach underneath. The leader had far better success in tearing my clothing than my skin with his blade. Sighing in annoyance, I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulders, not bothering to change. I didn't want to risk another article of clothing—I still had to cover a substantial amount of ground, most of which were through forests; plus, after my little swim, my clothes were ruined regardless.

I began to sprint southwest, sticking close to highway route one-oh-one—I had memorized a map of the state prior to leaving Italy, and this road would lead me directly into the heart of Forks. Once I made it out of the city, I lingered on the outer fringes of the road, lurking within the safe, confining shadows of the dense, mossy forest—the sun was hidden behind a thick layer of gray clouds, but I figured to stay on the safe side for now.

The midday sun shone half-heartedly through the canopy as I laughed cheerfully to myself, feeling the wet wind wildy whip my unrestrained hair; I dodged inbetween massive tree trunks while I ran, exhilarated. It was an enjoyable change of pace—the different environment I was dashing through provided a new sensation compared to my home; it was lush with wildlife, which hastily scattered when they detected my presence. There were several instances of where I had to cross a river, but I jumped over them easily enough.

Before long, I detected signs of human habituation—the overall forest density started to thin out with sporadic clearings left behind by loggers. I slowed down when I saw a sign welcoming me to the town of Forks, Washington, and reached the outskirts of the town where neat, cozy houses lined up and awaited me, inexplicably hesitant and doubtful. How was I supposed to find Billy? Should I first ask people if they remembered a man named Charlie Swan, and if they did, knew his friend, Billy? Should I break into some kind of government building—maybe a police station or the town hall—to search for records there?

As I mulled over my options, a voice about a mile deeper in the suburbs caught my unconscious attention—it was deep, yet gentle, and had the recognizable silky, musical quality of vampire.

" _I suggest we hold her under observation for one more day. We need to rule out the possibility of a concussion,"_ the man advised.

" _Her father won't like it, Doctor Cullen, but I'm sure he'll understand if you tell him yourself."_ This person's tenor was rougher—a human.

 _A soft sigh in resignation. "Of course."_

I froze in shock—what were the chances of meeting another vampire in this small, unremarkable town? Extremely slim, yet the perfect tone of this stranger said otherwise. I wasn't sure if I wanted this person to become aware of my presence—I didn't know his intentions, if he was merely hunting or resting. But curiosity got the best of me; I was intrigued by the notion that he was conversing with a human. And growing up with the Volturi meant the duty of maintaining the law was instilled within every fiber of my being—was this vampire properly concealing his true identity, if he wished to mingle in human society?

But before getting ahead of myself, I dropped my backpack to the ground while unzipping it simultaneously—only a sparse number of trees further intown that provided cover; basically nonexistent. I swiftly grabbed and changed into a new white shirt, tossing my old one behind a tree, hidden from sight. I then fished out a smokey gray jacket, donning it quickly, along with a set of contacts from a compact case, and pressed into both my eyes—though they hindered my sight, which was irritating, it was an improvement upon having bright ruby eyes.

Thus, I emerged from the woods and briskly made my way towards the general direction of the voice I'd heard, the occasional periods of speech offering a means to narrow down the location. As I continued along my path, I seemed to attract the immediate attention of bystanders—people that were originally walking in front of me, or across the street, stopped to stare at me, engrossed, with a variety of emotions: curiosity, suspicion, jealousy, lust, the whole nine yards. Was I really that ostentatious? I rolled my eyes and pulled my hood over my face. Humans were always captured by something that momentarily disturbed their boring, petty lives—such as a young, pretty woman simply strolling down a sidewalk.

After a few minutes, I passed what appeared to be the public high school, depicted by a wooden sign; however, the obvious sounds of occupancy were missing, along with the fact that the parking lots were empty. I turned right, veering off the highway, and headed west. After crossing a few blocks, I frowned when a hospital came into view—another sign, placed right out front, proclaimed its purpose. It was painted ivory with a faded red roof, and the source of the vampiric voice originated from inside. What was he doing in there? Was he stealing blood?

Carefully pushing aside the glass doors, I entered the warm reception area, shielded and on guard—I wasn't sure what to expect. "Can I help you?" a brunette chimed from behind her desk, dressed in a dark turquoise scrub uniform, when the sound of the door opening alerted her to my presence. During the short second of silence after she spoke, I drew a tiny breath, tasting the various fragrances that wafted in the air—the majority was human, with traces of fresh blood, yet within that mixture was the unmistakable sweet scent of vampire. It smelled similar to that of vanilla, but not bitter; rather, it had a sugary undertone, exactly like the ice cream flavor.

I strode forward until I reached where she sat. "I'm looking for Doctor Cullen," I replied politely, using the same name I'd heard earlier.

"Certainly. Give me one second to page him," she addressed, though I suspected he had already heard our conversation, and knew another vampire was in his presence. She picked up the handset from the telephone, and instructed for Doctor Cullen to report to front office, her orders transmitting through the overhead speaker system—the subdued static gave away its old age.

" _I'm sorry to interrupt you, Doctor Snow. Unfortunately, I am being called down to the front."_

" _Not a problem. We can continue our discussion later."_

I backed away from the counter as light footsteps echoed down the hallway behind to the receptionist, barely audible; it became louder as it approached ever so closer. I finally saw him appear as he turned the corner, about five feet away—he was blond, quite tall, and dressed in a sterile white lab coat with a stethoscope hanging around his collar. His bizarre amber eyes immediately locked with mine—despite the contacts concealing their true color to humans, I knew he could tell they were crimson beneath. His iris was very light, similar to an amber hue; they were completely alien, which unnerved me. Who was this person? Why were his eyes so different? Was he actually working in a human-operated hospital as a doctor, or was he merely imitating to be one? He didn't say anything, despite spotting me, and kept walking down the hallway. I leaned casually against the pale cream wall, waiting patiently. What ultimately relaxed the tension I'd felt was his calm, yet amiable demeanor. As long as he didn't attempt to harm me, I would reciprocate the same genial behavior.

"Yes, Miss Harvey?" he greeted the nurse in a tone of mild confusion.

Her expression was abnormally apologetic. "I'm sorry to bother you, Doctor Cullen, but this young lady is looking for you," she explained.

"Ah, thank you," he thanked, standing up straighter to face me. We both exchanged cautious stares, neither one of us doing anything—we were perfectly rigid. "Would you mind excusing us for a moment, please, Miss Harvey?" the vampire requested.

"Sure," she answered with uncertainty, followed by the scraping of her chair as she stood up and breezed out of the room, out the same hall.

Once I was sure she was out of earshot, I held my hands up in the air, a sign of peace. "My name is Bella, and I mean you no harm. I sincerely apologize for interrupting you during your… work. To be quite frank, I hadn't expected to see another vampire in this town."

He startled me with a bout of bewildered laughter. "And I hadn't expected to see another vampire in the hospital," he chuckled quietly and held out his hand. "Please, call me Carlisle. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella." His name sounded strangely familiar, though I could not pinpoint the exact reason why.

I grinned in response to his mellow reaction and shook it. Carlisle seemed very affable and polite, a gentleman. In some ways, he reminded me of Demetri, save the hair. "The pleasure is all mine. Now, I don't mean to offend you in any way, but why are your eyes yellow?"

His friendly smile became bigger. "My coven and I hunt animals instead of people," Carlisle explained carefully, like he had been asked the question before. "The difference in diet causes the change in color."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I never knew that was possible."

Carlisle nodded his head. "Sadly, vegetarianism is not popular among our kind."

Suddenly, I knew why I felt his name was so recognizable. It was a distant human memory from when I was still a human, but I recalled an instance where I had talked to Aro about friends, specifically if the Volturi had any. Aro had simply sighed and shook his head with sadness—but then paused.

" _I can only think of one person, one that I truly can call a friend."_

" _Who?"_

" _Stregone Benefico, or if you prefer to know his real name, Carlisle. He had visited Italy in pursuit of the arts, and stumbled across our little coven."_

" _What happened to him?"_

" _Oh, nothing bad, my dear. He stayed with us only a few decades before setting off once more. Except for his abnormal appetite, he was excellent company."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Perhaps I'm being too harsh. To tell you the truth, I respected Carlisle for his decision; he had chosen to go against his own nature, and instead, hunted animals rather than humans."_

" _Why?"_

" _Carlisle had an unusual trait_ — _some argued it was actually his gift. He was a compassionate man. He despised the thought of killing a human, even if it was only for his blood, and sought a different method_ — _so he drank animals."_

" _He sounds like a good friend and a kind person."_

" _Oh, he is, my dear, he is. Though, I am afraid I may have angered him_ — _I continually pressured him into reverting back to human blood, and shortly after another reminder, he departed."_

" _I'm sure he is not angry with you, Aro."_

" _Thank you, my dear Bella."_

I blinked, stunned. Could this stranger that I'd met two minutes ago possibly be the same person as Aro's friend? It felt like an impossibility, yet his peculiar eyes was all the confirmation I needed.

Carlisle cleared his throat softly, recapturing my attention again. "If you're still interested, I have a permanent residence where we could convene with the rest of my coven," he offered.

I deliberated for a quarter of a second—meeting his coven would be an interesting prospect. It would also allow me to determine if they were concealing their identities in accordance to the law. "Alright," I agreed, feeling rather excited.

 **A/N: Yes, that "certain vampire" was none other than Carlisle! I wonder what will happen when Bella meets with the rest of the Cullens...**


	14. Chapter 14: The Cullens

**A/N: First off, I would like to apologize for my absence. I celebrated my birthday about a week ago, which resulted in a lost work day. I then had to undergo wisdom teeth removal, which was... fun (not really). As a result, I was laid up for a few days because of my aching gums, and restricted to a diet consisting mainly of soup. Nevertheless, I hope you can forgive me with this chapter** — **I had to reedit some of the dialogue because it didn't "feel" right to me. As always, feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think! Oh, and be on the lookout for any grammatical errors.**

 **(Posted on 4/15/17)**

 **Chapter 14: The Cullens**

Carlisle proceeded back down the hall again, this time to inform the staff of his early departure, leaving me standing alone in the lobby. The nurse returned to her desk and sat down, all the while glancing up at me, intrigued. "Are you related to Doctor Cullen?" she inquired, her polite tone failing to hide the morbid curiosity that seeped into her voice as she began filling out clerical work—I could hear the graphite from a pencil scratching against a sheet of paper.

I hesitated for a second before answering. "Yes, I am. I'm his younger sister," I lied smoothly. I figured the human would notice the stark similarities regarding appearance—pale skin, beauty, voice. It would be easier to avoid suspicion if I claimed to be a family member, rather than a stranger that _coincidentally_ looked to be related to Carlisle. She nodded and lowered her head, accepting my explanation; I got the feeling that my arrival to Forks would be marked with gossip by the local residents—which didn't necessarily surprise me.

After waiting for a short minute, Carlisle reappeared in the hallway again and joined me. He pushed and held open the glass door for me, motioning that I should go first. "So you're my sister now?" he joked, raising an eyebrow when we both exited the hospital.

"I suppose for the time being," I replied with a chuckle. "An alibi in case any of your coworkers decide to ask you about me." He smiled as he led me through the sparse parking lot, and stopped in front of a pearl white Mercedes. The taillights flashed when Carlisle produced the car keys from his pocket and pressed a button, indicating that it was now unlocked.

"Is that the E400 coupe?" I asked, immediately excited. I was always fascinated with cars—what else were you going to do growing up with vampires and, subsequently, having all the money in the world? While each member of the permanent Guard owned some kind of luxury motor vehicle, it generally served as a kind of memento or just something to drive around the city. I, too, had a few stashed away within the city grounds—the most recent purchases were an Audi R8, a McLaren P1, and an Aston Martin DB9. It was only Heidi that reigned supreme with regard to ownership—she had a fleet of expensive jets, cars, and helicopters that she utilized to transport the humans she lured to Volterra. The opulence helped to settle any potential nerves the humans felt.

Carlisle looked at me, surprise evident in his features. "It is. Sadly, however, I'm afraid I'm not much of a car enthusiast, compared to my children," he admitted with a quiet laugh. I gave him a questioning look as we each opened our respective doors—I got into the passenger seat while he sat in the driver's. After we were comfortably situated, he started the engine—a gentle purr when it came to life.

I took some time to briefly remove the irritating contacts from my eyes. "Your children?" I repeated as he expertly reversed out of the parking space, circling the lot once before pulling onto one of the streets.

"Not in the literal sense, of course. Although," he paused, a grin forming across his face while he shook his head. "they do sometimes act as such." His voice was filled with the affection from that of a parent, which was rather peculiar. It sounded almost exactly the way Aro would speak to me, but Carlisle's tone was far, far stronger. I got the sense that his coven was extremely close knit, much like the Volturi. "I have always seen them as my children—not because I created them, but because I like to think I offer them some, if any, form of guidance," he explained.

Carlisle became silent as we headed east until we hit route one-oh-one, in which we then turned left onto the highway. "You're a newborn, aren't you?" he said suddenly as we traveled along the road, fleeting images of the small town flashing by.

I nodded in response. "I'm nearing two months old now," I announced happily. Although I was young, my unusual exceptional self control near humans was something I prided in—I handled my temptations near blood better than most members of the Guard; even more so if it was an open, oozing wound. "How did you know?"

"Your eyes—they're brighter than normal," he diligently observed. "What ultimately intrigued me is how rational and calm you were while inside the hospital, especially since you're a newborn." He glanced at me curiously without any repercussions—the car failed to deviate a centimeter from its path.

I shrugged, nonchalant. "I'll take that as a compliment."

We crossed the Calawah River via a rusty, rustic bridge, and continued driving north while evidence of human civilization waned; the thick, choking density of the woods thankfully returned. After driving for a couple minutes, he slowed down and turned into a hidden and unpaved road—ferns and other plant life threatened to invade the edges. The road itself was unexpectedly smooth, as if someone had packed down the dirt so it would mimic the hardness of asphalt—which I suspected they did. We snaked inbetween an innumerable amount of old trees while we went on, like a river running along its path through land.

At last, I could see the thinning of forest about a hundred meters ahead. And, built upon a broad clearing, was a rectangular, faded white house, if you could call it that—a wooden porch covered the entire first story, as well as windows dotting the structure in perfect symmetry. It was shaded by ancient, massive cedars that surrounded the territory, which gave off the impression of coziness and safety. Carlisle stopped the car in front of the house—his was the only one in sight.

"You have a beautiful home," I murmured while I pushed open my door, awed by the level of _openness_ and apparent grace. Although, I wasn't exactly comfortable with the prospect; I preferred the dark, cool castle walls of Volterra. But it was still charming nonetheless. I had a feeling Heidi and Chelsea would love the designs.

Carlisle smiled gratefully. "Thank you. My mate, Esme, will be pleased to hear that," he chuckled as he, too, stepped out of the car. "She renovated it nearly from scratch."

To my utter disbelief, I instantly became aware of the enticing thud of a beating heart that crashed in my ear, originating from inside the residence. Was there a human with them? It didn't seem likely, yet the source of the heartbeat was accompanied by several—perhaps four other individuals—breaths. I assumed they were vampires based on the fact they were solely breathing, and lacked any other indicators of life. Consequently, I soon grew wary; what was exactly awaiting me inside the house? Making sure I was fully shielded, I leisurely climbed up the porch steps and approached the front door with Carlisle by my side.

He opened the door, and I stepped in after him. I inhaled noiselessly, tasting the collection of pleasant flavors that swirled around. The most prominent scent was both human and delectable; it permeated the air with its alluring perfume, somehow rich and light at the same time. It was equivalent to chocolate mousse, yet still couldn't hold a candle to its true deliciousness. My throat burned wildly, but I ignored it. Besides the chocolate, there were also hints of cream, apple, pine, and honey lilac—it was all tainted with the satisfying sweetness of vampire.

Speaking of which, four vampires were clustered into a semicircle that formed in the middle of the expansive living room—it looked like it used to contain separate rooms, but the walls had been torn down to create a singular, wide open space. The entire back wall was startlingly built out of glass, while to my left held a ginormous, curved, wooden staircase. The interior was painted in an assortment of soft white; it was oddly cheerful. There was an elevated portion of the floor, off to the right, where a white—what was it with their pale paint scheme—grand piano sat, glossy and elegant.

The apex of the semicircle was led by two tall males and flanked by two females. Just as I had detected, there _was_ a human—a remarkably short girl—partially hidden behind the protective, impenetrable layer. The thing that I could undoubtedly ascertain was their discernable defensive positions—they were clearly guarding her from, what I assumed to be, me.

Carlisle broke the awkward silence. "Everyone, this is Bella. Bella, this is my Esme, along with the rest of my family: Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice," he introduced, gesturing to each respective individual, starting from left to right, then to the middle.

Esme wore a tender expression that suited her caramel colored hair—she was exactly the type of person I'd expected for the cordial Carlisle. Her scent could be described as the heaviness of cream; it paired perfectly with Carlisle's vanilla. My intuitions also told me that she wasn't much of a fighter; despite this, however, something about her heart shaped face, compassionate yet fierce eyes, announced that she was immensely solicitous of her coven. I didn't fail to notice that she was holding Alice's hand—was she comforting her?

Edward was of a slight build, comparable to Demetri, to a lesser extent—he was still shorter and smaller in size. Curiously enough, he had a perplexing hair color—it was copperish, almost bronze, but not exactly; he also had a puzzling smell: honey lilac. He stared at me in an intense, frustrated kind of way, making me feel uneasy. It was the same kind of look that Jane would have when she tried her gift on me—did he have a mental one as well?

Emmett gave off the impression of a photocopied Felix. Tall and burly, his stony facial expression was complemented by his extremely dark chocolate brown hair—almost black. One difference was his scent; it was similar to the tang of pine needles. His strong demeanor somewhat lessened when he cracked a wide, easygoing grin—again, adding to the duplicate Felix persona perfectly. Hell, he even winked at me with those golden eyes, to which I reciprocated with a roll of my own red ones.

Rosalie was… unquestionably the most gorgeous female I'd ever met—her attractiveness was a worthy rival to that of Heidi's, but I would argue that Heidi was still much prettier—she would kill me if she ever found out I didn't stand up for her. In addition to the silky blonde hair that fell halfway down her body, her scent was fairly delicate: the crispness of apple. She also held herself with a faint air of… arrogance? Contempt? Perhaps a combination of the two? Her features were careful, her eyes following my every move with scrutiny.

Everything about Alice screamed _human_. Her steady and irresistible heartbeat, fragile and frail body; the overall _easily breakable_ attitude she had. I tilted my head infinitesimally, examining her further. In spite of this, she really was quite beautiful for a human—dark brown eyes set in a ivory hued face, flowing jet black hair, small cheeks and nose both pink, flush with blood; essentially, her features dainty with a elfin frame to match. But what was a human doing with this coven of vampires?

"I thought you said you hunted animals," I stated, confused, turning my head toward Carlisle.

"We do," he clarified beside me.

I frowned slightly to myself. "Then why do you have a human amongst yourselves? I'm assuming she knows you're vampires by the way she's being protected," I noted.

"She does," Carlisle cautiously affirmed.

Pursing my lips, I decided to ask him another question—one that would determine if he and his coven would be punished or not for breaking the law. "Do you plan on changing her?" I queried. Obviously, if they did, I guess there was no need for action—and really, I did not wish to destroy a friend of Aro. It felt immoral, wrong; Aro had brought me into his powerful world, and it didn't seem right to repay him by killing one of his old friends, despite them violating the rules.

But, before Carlisle could reply, another person spoke. "Why does it matter to you?" the bronze haired vampire—Edward—interjected, and I immediately took to a disliking of this boy. His tone was… not exactly accusatory, but something along those lines. Although everyone in this coven appeared to be very protective of Alice, it didn't sit well with me, regardless.

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms. "Because it's my duty as the Volturi to ensure vampires are obeying the law. And, seeing as to how you're keeping one as a pet, kind of violates it," I shot back, my voice surprisingly flat—probably from anger. The Cullens froze into absolute stillness from shock, except for Alice, who trembled in fear—I could smell the sudden spread of adrenaline in her blood.

"Wait," Carlisle interrupted, gazing at me apprehensively. "How do we verify that you are, indeed, who you claim to be?" he asked, dubious.

To answer his question, I calmly swung my backpack from my shoulders to the front of my body, unzipping it once I had a firm grasp on the strap, and retrieved my coal black cloak from its depths. Since it was created with the material designated for the Royal family—a comfortable blend of thick cotton and wool, weaved into smooth velvet—if Carlisle truly had resided in Volterra, he would immediately recognize that the fabric I held in my hands was also the same as Aro's and the rest of the leaders.

His light ocher eyes widened when the cloak came into view, dispelling any doubt that was present within. "May I?" he requested softly, extending his open hand toward me. I only nodded, and dropped my cloak into his palm. He absentmindedly, like petting a cat or dog, stroked the onyx colored material, running it through his long fingers. "This particular color is reserved for the leaders and their wives," he whispered aloud after a moment. "Then that means…" he trailed off.

"That I'm a part of the Volturi leader's family," I finished, chuckling a bit dryly. "Yes, I'm aware." It was entertaining to see them so taken aback—I had to remind myself that my recent addition has never happened before, ever since the creation of the Volturi coven.

"The family?" Carlisle repeated, incredulous. "Not the Guard?"

I shook my head. "Frankly, it's a long story. And we've been sidetracked from the current issue at hand. Your human: either you change or kill her, those are your only options. I will withhold any punishment for failing to follow the law as long as you fulfill those terms. And I do not offer second chances," I warned coldly.

Carlisle bowed his head in compliance. "I only ask for more time, so Alice may graduate from school and avoid arousing suspicion if she were to disappear now," he politely pleaded.

I pursed my lips, pondering this for a moment. "This is reasonable," I finally agreed. I then let out a weary sigh. "I'm sorry, Carlisle, for imposing such a difficult ultimatum onto you and your family, especially since I just met you."

He sighed, too. "It's quite alright. We were deliberating on the date rather than the decision, honestly—I suppose it's settled then. Now, if you don't mind me asking, how did you join the family?" He tried to sound as polite as he could manage, as if it were merely a trivial question, but fascination leaked into his voice.

"You might want to sit down—it's a boring story," I cautioned.

"A boring story about someone joining the most powerful coven in existence?" Emmett scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Please." He seemed completely unaffected by the recent turn of events, and I found myself actually taking a liking to him—he was as carefree and humorous as Felix, both traits I enjoyed.

"Why don't we have a seat," Carlisle suggested, gesturing to the chalky white sectional couch placed in front of a large flat screen television set. Instead, I opted for the lone, matching armchair while the rest of the family gravitated to the L-shaped couch nearby, settling down on the cushions once they reached it. Rosalie, Alice and Esme opted to lean against the back while Edward, Carlisle and Emmett sat.

"What would you like to know?" I inquired.

"So many things," Emmett piped up, leaning forward with anticipation, his golden eyes eager. "When did you first meet the Volturi?"

"When I was six years old—and still human."

"What?" he spluttered, dumbfounded. "How? Why?"

"I was Aro's last human descendant, and recently orphaned. So, he decided to bring me back to Volterra to raise me," I explained.

"Oh dear," Esme chimed in, looking sorrowful and worried. "You lost your parents?"

I nodded in acknowledgement. "I don't remember the incident that clearly—it was around twelve years ago, and all I can recall was that they died in a car accident," I murmured.

"I'm sorry." She sounded sympathetic, for which I was grateful.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It was a long time ago, anyway—but thank you." I had newfound admiration for Esme—despite my rude and imposing presence, she still showed genuine interest in events with my own life. Moreover, her reaction strengthened my intuition that Esme was not a fighter; rather, she felt more like a caretaker, a mother, in a sense.

"What happened next?" Emmett enthused, his eyes animated once more.

"Emmett!" Esme firmly chided. "Show Bella some respect—she just revealed her parents passed away."

"I'm sorry, Bella," he whimpered, immediately going into a heartbroken pout, sniffling his nose. This feigned action earned him a reproachful glare from both Esme and Rosalie—as well as a hit to the back of his head. Rosalie's slap was much more forceful; a sharp smack, compared to Esme's gentle touch—Emmett rubbed his head painfully as a result.

I simply laughed—both at his misfortunes, as well as the antics of this coven—before continuing. "Aro discovered that I had the manifestations of a strong gift before I was even changed."

"How?" Emmett cut me off—again.

"He shook my hand, and was confused as to why he couldn't hear me."

"What's your gift?" he asked impatiently—well, perhaps that was the wrong word. Eagerly, more like. Edward suddenly lifted his head up, curious—he was anticipating my answer.

I paused for a second. "A mental shield." I decided against telling them my physical shield—it wasn't necessary to let them know all the details, for my own safety. "I'm able to stop all mental gifts and their effects. Others, too, if they are under the dome that I project," I said casually. Honestly, I felt flattered when all the Cullens gawked at me—an assortment of surprise, amazement and even fear in their honey-gold eyes.

"That's why I couldn't hear you," Edward muttered to himself. I arched an eyebrow at him in response, waiting for an explanation. "I can 'hear' other people's thoughts," he clarified, much to my shock, putting emphasis on the _hear_. "I wasn't paying attention at first—I happened to catch Carlisle's thoughts when he arrived, and when I saw that he was bringing a visitor, I strained to read yours, but I couldn't."

I glanced at him inquisitively. "How does it work? Are you able to read every thought that a person has had, like Aro?" The only difference was that Aro had to physically touch someone in order to obtain the full scope of thoughts, whereas Edward made it sound like he was able to listen from a distance.

He shook his head. "Not every thought, just the ones I focus on. It's kind of like being inside a large room with everyone talking—a mindless droning on of indecipherable voices. Once I hone in on a person, their current thoughts flow as if they were speaking aloud," he described.

"Edward, stop annoying her with your stupid similes," Emmett grumbled. "Please continue, Bella," he urged, ignoring the dirty look he received from Edward.

I couldn't stop a grin from forming—Emmett was just so funny. "Although I didn't understand it yet as a result of my young age, because I was human, a date was set to which I would be changed—my eighteenth birthday. I quickly befriended the numerous members of the Guard when I first arrived," I revealed with a smile. "Jane, Felix, Demetri and Heidi are close friends of mine. They helped me with everything while I grew up. They taught me academics, accompanied me to various vacations; basically anything I needed, they would fulfill to the best of their abilities. I spent the majority of my human life within Volterra until I turned eighteen, where Aro and I thought it would be appropriate that he be the one to change me. So he did, and here we are, a few weeks since," I finished.

Alice appeared to be uncomfortable for some reason—her heart rate increased infinitesimally, and she began fidgeting her hands on the pale leather of the couch—then, I realized why. The Cullens—besides Carlisle, who was relaxed in the sea of tension around him—were nervous with the new fact that I was a young vampire. Of course they were—newborns were wild, unruly, difficult to control; in particular, their thirst. And the Cullens had attributed those preconceived characteristics upon me.

"You're a newborn?" Edward accused, peering at me warily. Again, his tone irritated me—it was as if he already thought I was some crazed vampire, just because I was a newborn.

I returned his stare. "Yes. I'm approaching the two month mark," I replied icily back. Wordlessly, Alice departed; she left the room, going through the front door. A muted creak alerted me to her location—she sat down on the porch steps outside.

 **A/N: If you hadn't noticed, Jasper is missing! Don't worry, he'll be introduced later** — **I have a few ideas regarding his "main entrance". Also, you may be wondering why Alice is human. Well, before I even initially started writing this fiction, I've always wanted it to be a Bella and Alice love story** — **so, I've decided to make Alice human to make it interesting. I'll be honest** — **I'm not sure how they will fall for each other. But that's all part of the suspense, I suppose.**


	15. Chapter 15: Interruption

**A/N: Hello, all! I'm back** — **this chapter took appallingly long to write, mostly due to my own procrastination. For that I apologize, but my week has also been extremely busy, so I did not put the usual amount of dedication into writing. Hopefully, this extra-long chapter will do you justice** — **it's the longest one I've personally ever written (around 4,400+ words!). As always, feel free to leave a review about your thoughts on this chapter, and let me know if I've made any grammatical errors!**

 **(Posted 4/30/17)**

 **Chapter 15: Interruption**

Edward's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You must have exceptional control then," he said with a hint of skepticism in his voice.

I shot him a smirk. "For the most part. I'm able to resist blood with the same degree of strength as my friends in the Guard," I commented offhandedly. "It's certainly difficult, but not an impossibility, unlike conventional newborns." I knew from stories shared by Felix and Demetri that newborns rarely developed any form of discipline over their thirst—hence, why they occasionally demanded the Volturi's attention and intervention.

Carlisle studied me with intrigue. "Do you know why that is?" he asked, golden eyes glittering with genuine excitement, like he was prepared to delve and discover the reason behind it all. I wasn't sure what his motivations beneath were—why he was interested in my behavior.

I gave him a half-hearted shrug. "I don't know. But ever since my creation, I've never struggled with handling myself near humans," I replied earnestly.

His features transfixed into one contemplating, deep in thought. "Perhaps…." he began with uncertainty. "It stems from your early exposure to vampires? You did spend the majority of your human life growing up around them—it may have prepared you for the hardships normally associated with vampirism," he hypothesized hesitantly.

I deliberated this myself. I'd always found it strange how, despite all the caution constructed and voiced by my friends around maintaining incongruity during my first year—it was crucial that I did not arouse suspicion within the city if I did something rash—I had less trouble adapting to my new life than I'd expected. And yet, given Carlisle's theory, it made sense—in the years leading up to my change, I had essentially ingrained the expectations of being a vampire in preparation for reducing the risk of exposure.

Finally, I smiled widely. "An interesting proposition, and a probable one, too," I agreed.

Emmett cleared his throat loudly. "Bella, since you've finished answering Carlisle and Edward's boring questions, I have one more I'd like to ask you," he said hopefully.

"One too many," Edward mumbled, causing Esme to frown behind him.

I rolled my eyes at him but smiled at Emmett. "Alright, tell me."

His face morphed into an expression of pleading. "Will you cover me with your gift while I fight Edward? Please? He always cheats and reads my mind—if you shield me, it'll take away the advantage he has and he'll have to fight fair," he beseeched, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

As much as I enjoyed watching vampires sparring with one another—I had loved observing the practice skirmishes that the members of the Guard would often have when I was human—Rosalie didn't exactly look too happy with Emmett—to say the least. She was the literal embodiment of pure fury and disapproval—she glared at Emmett without him noticing. It was her reaction that made me realize they were most likely mates—I recognized the same general appearance on Chelsea when she was annoyed with Afton, albeit rarely. Esme wasn't too pleased with the proposition either, but to a lesser extent.

"My apologies, Emmett, but I don't think Esme would approve," I conveyed with regret. It would have been fun to witness Emmett and Edward dueling, but I didn't wish to upset any of the Cullens, especially Esme.

Rosalie's tense posture relaxed, looking relieved at my response. "No she would not," she affirmed, glancing at me appreciatively. "Neither would I." Her tone made the decision final—much to Emmett's dismay. He desperately pouted at her, but she refused to meet his gaze.

I glanced at the glass wall, noting the darkening brightness outside—it was approaching sunset, with an hour of daylight left; I had spent most of my afternoon with the Cullens. It was time for me to go and find Billy—I planned on first searching the police station for any written records, and if there were none, then the town hall. I wasn't sure what I'd do if I didn't find any; asking some of the local residents felt too risky. I turned to Carlisle. "Thank you for having me, Carlisle, but I do believe it is time for me to depart. Aro will be delighted to hear that I've met you," I chuckled softly, standing up from the chair in one smooth motion. Aro certainly would be thrilled—what were the chances of encountering his centuries-old friend while on a trip to find a human?

He, too, rose from his seat. "You're welcome, Bella. Please, send Aro my regards the next time you see him," he politely requested. When I retrieved my backpack from the floor, Carlisle handed me the cloak that had been draped over his arm, to which I stuffed into the bag.

I nodded my head. "I will," I promised, slinging my pack over my shoulders. Wordlessly, I walked to the front door on my own accord; Carlisle had started to accompany me, but I stopped him with a gesture from my hand. There was no need troubling him any further.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten about Alice when I opened the door—the motion wafted her appealing scent directly into my face. I'd forgotten how mouthwatering she smelled; her blood was extraordinarily exquisite, above average and as a result, quite a rarity. Venom reflexively pooled in my mouth, and I had to swallow it back. The sound of her thudding heart had been placed in the back of my mind, away from my attention—I had grown accustomed to the constant noise. But now it was at the forefront, stimulated by inhaling the fragrance that clung to the air.

Alice turned around and shuddered when she saw me approaching, much to my amusement. "I'm not going to hurt you," I promised, rolling my eyes in mild exasperation. Was she always this afraid around vampires? That didn't seem to be the case—she was comfortable around Cullens, for one thing—so I guess it was just me. I discovered that I wanted to talk to her—I got the impression that our initial introduction was uncomfortable as a result of my ultimatum regarding her being a human. I felt like we had gotten off to the wrong foot, and I didn't want to be rude.

Alice actually appeared to be terrified—her steady heartbeat dramatically quickened. "I can smell the fear coming from you," I noted, taking in her suddenly sweeter scent—adrenaline had been released into her bloodstream and spread throughout her body in an instant, making the chocolatey odor stronger as well. She chewed her bottom lip nervously while I fluidly took a seat beside her on the wide wooden porch steps—I could almost physically touch the heat emanating from her, pleasant and enticing. It assured me the blood in her body was at the perfect ninety eight point six degrees.

"Sorry," Alice whispered in her soft soprano voice as she unconsciously shifting further down the plank, away from me. I wasn't sure if I planned on continuing to breathe next to her—the aroma coming off her skin was maddening. But, after a moment of hesitation, I decided I was confident enough to do so—either from pride or arrogance; sometimes it was difficult to distinguish the two. I wasn't going to let some human tempt me after I'd consistently resisted others in the past. I was better than that. "It's just—I've gotten used to the Cullens and their diet. And you hunt humans…" she murmured worriedly.

Although I did not wish to scare her—that would've hampered my goal of coming over and starting afresh—I couldn't curb the truth. "I hope you realize the majority of my kind hunts yours," I countered, flashing her a wry smile. She let out a quiet sigh in response, and I froze as her warm exhale mingled with the air around us, teasing me with its captivating perfume. Despite having recently fed, the fire in my throat began to grow again, and I fought to quell the flames.

"I know," she admitted, focusing her eyes on wringing her hands together. "I'm still… getting used to the idea."

I raised an eyebrow. "What? That you could be sitting next to a more _traditional_ vampire without having your throat ripped out? I'm offended—" I feigned the perfect amount of hurt in my voice "—at the level of distrust." Despite the entertainment that stemmed from my interactions with Alice, I was still marginally miffed that she'd assumed I was some sort of uncontrollable, rampaging vampire who couldn't control herself. Of course, I didn't blame her—I suppose she sort of had a right to be wary; I mean, I _did_ hunt humans, and she was one herself.

I watched carefully as Alice blushed lightly—I could hear the rush of blood within her veins moving to pool in her cheeks. Briefly—stupidly, might I add—I wondered what her blood would taste like: would she retain the rich sweetness or lightness that characterized her scent? Sighing too quietly for Alice to hear, I worked hard to stamp out the painful flash in my throat—I balled my hands into fists in an attempt to prevent myself from acting out any of my irrational desires.

Cautiously, I leaned towards her, taking another whiff of the chocolate aroma that escaped through her skin. Alice stiffened her posture—she appeared to be startled, frightened at my actions. Yet, she did something unusual; her body automatically twisted so that she was facing me, and was completely unaware of the fact she'd leaned forward as well. While it was a common reaction among humans to approach us, spurred on by the beauty, it was rare that they would come this close, face to face—their primal instincts usually recognized the danger, and would alert and prevent them from doing so. So why did Alice disregard her natural intuition?

"You smell really good," I complimented with a friendly smile. I made sure not to show too much of my teeth so I wouldn't scare her. "Your scent is very rich, but also light at the same time. It's delicious," I added with an internal sigh of longing. I _really_ wanted a taste.

Alice blinked several times, confused. "Umm… thanks. You… smell pretty good too?" she said, as if she were asking a question.

Closing my eyes, I drew a deep breath, pulling in the chocolate-flavored oxygen that surrounded us through my nostrils. The scent did wonders to my thirst—it promised to quench the fire. Alice gasped sharply in shock when I reopened my eyes. I already knew what she saw—my irises were pitch black. Thirsty. _Dangerous._

An enraged growl erupted from the living room, and I instinctively turned to the door. The sight of a leaping Edward filled my vision and mind. For a fleeting tenth of a second, I considered what would have happened if I had closed the door instead of leaving it open. I steeled myself, automatically throwing up an impenetrable, invisible dome that surrounded myself within the same half-second. After raising the wall, I immediately rechecked the physical and mental shields that personally covered myself—still there. The resounding impact of Edward smashing into my shield sounded a third of a second later—I took some pride in inflicting a look of sheer surprise on his face when he was seemingly stopped midair. Snarling, I blurred to my feet, shifting into a defensive crouch instantaneously. I pushed the dome backwards, sending him flying through the doorway and into the house.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I hissed angrily, my muscles tensed and prepared for a fight. But it was deathly quiet—the sound of Alice's accelerated heartbeat and breathing was thunderous as it filled the silence.

I heard a multitude of light footsteps nearing as the Cullens gathered near the front door warily. Their expressions soon turned into astonishment; they became motionless as a result of being stunned. "What was _that_?" Emmett managed to choke out as he stared Edward, who steadily got back onto his feet, then at me. "That was so cool! How did you do that?" Leave it to Emmett to be completely sidetracked during this tense situation.

Although my instincts were screaming at me to defend myself or run away, I fought hard to go against them; eventually, I straightened out of my crouch. "I won't ask you again. Why did you attack me?" I inquired icily. My voice was monotonous, but inside, I was fuming; I ensured none of it leaked out, just like Jane had taught me.

Edward shook himself out of his stupor to answer. "Alice saw how you suddenly became thirsty, and she was frightened—she thought you might kill her," he quickly explained.

Was this boy an idiot or just brave? I was beginning to suspect the former. "And embarrass Aro and the Volturi with such a mindless act?" I scoffed and rolled my eyes, running my hand through my hair in frustration. "Really. You should have thought about the consequences of your actions through—attacking a member of the Volturi is punishable by death," I informed. I contracted the shield which I had originally widened to halt Edward back a few feet, but still had it up out of caution. My anger was already beginning to ebb; Edward hadn't posed much of a serious threat, so there was no need to stay irate anyway. His actions were also relatively reasonable—he was simply defending a member of his coven, albeit a human. Plus, his attack served as excellent practice for my defensive techniques.

"Umm, Bella?" Alice squeaked in alarm from behind, causing me to turn around. She was standing surprisingly close, about two feet away, and her face was remarkably paler than before. Her dark eyes were wide as her two hands were outstretched, pressed firmly against seemingly immovable space, like a mime performing a typical impression of being stuck in a box.

I didn't even know Alice was confined within my shield—I assumed the pressure she inflicted on the dome went unnoticed because of her human strength. But what had taken me off guard was the fact that she was actually _inside_ —vampires were always shoved in the same direction of the expanding shield if I did not consciously allow them in. How did she wind up completely ignoring this fundamental characteristic? Unless… it was because she had been close enough to me that I automatically threw my shield around her as well? Maybe I'd also instinctively recognized that she was human, and therefore I needed to defend my prey.

I quickly released her by dissolving the walls around us. "Sorry Alice," I said as sincerely as I could manage.

She hastily retreated to the safety of the Cullens, falling into Esme's embrace, before giving me a small smile. "It's fine," she reassured, but her pounding heart gave her away.

I twisted to look at Edward. "Don't ever try that again," I harshly warned. "I won't be so lenient next time." He respectfully bowed his head once, and then I turned to Carlisle. "I'm sorry, Carlisle, but I'm sure you understand I had to defend myself."

"It's safe to say that I would be surprised if you didn't," he chuckled humorlessly. "Thank you for not harming him."

"His ego definitely took a hit," Emmett chortled, totally unaffected by the dark glare Edward gave him, which made me chuckle, too.

"Goodbye." I nodded politely and turned to leave, but a deep voice stopped me.

"Wait, Bella!" Emmett called out anxiously. "You still haven't answered my question!"

I took a second to recall what he'd said while I whirled around slowly. "Let's just say I'm… extremely gifted," I winked.

With that final comment, I took off into the nearby gloomy forest, leisuring jogging south toward Forks once again, where my destination was the local police department. Although I wasn't sure if I would be successful in finding information about Billy, I had high hopes. After traveling for a few minutes, my eyes registered the usual lightening of trees ahead, indicating human habituation.

I hesitated on the outskirts of town, deliberating my options. I planned on breaking into the police station, which I was skeptical would pose any problems, but the day was still fairly light out; I decided to wait until nighttime—it was the safer choice since I could travel through the town undetected. With a weary sigh, I leaned against the trunk of a towering douglas-fir and became perfectly still.

The pitch blackness of night didn't make much of a difference to my eyesight—everything was brightly illuminated by the nonexistent moonlight, and I could still distinguish each individual detail without suffering from any drawbacks. I headed east, inching closer to the center of town; just in case, I sprinted as quickly as I could manage, weaving inbetween the trees to be certain no human saw me—I was also too fast for their eyes, anyway. Hence, it wasn't before long I abruptly stopped in front a rectangular, wooden building with a sign outside indicating what it was: the police station. Artificial light escaped through its glass door and two front windows, all of which were shut tightly. There was a human that I spotted inside—he was situated near the entrance, sitting behind an old, scuffed receptionist desk, reading a book—my senses told me he was the only one.

After I'd moved to the opposite side of the cabin, I easily scaled the wall, hauling myself onto the roof, and immediately found what I was hoping for—a glass skylight to my left. I effortlessly snapped the metal lock held the frame closed with my fingers and pried open the window—there was a quiet groan as it resisted the movement, trying to remain in its previous position, to no avail. I listened intently, ensuring that the human hadn't noticed the sound and moved to investigate, before dropping inside on my feet with a muted thud.

I landed in the middle of the square room; an arrangement of three moderately-sized office desks were pressed tightly against their respective wood-paneled wall, each accompanied by a compact, light tan filing cabinet. There was a locked door to my right, and I could hear the human's shallow breaths and heartbeat on the other side. The cabinets seemed like the best place to start, especially since I wanted to find records regarding Billy, so I began with those.

I was careful to place everything back properly when I had finished riffling through the first two relatively empty drawers, unsuccessfully finding anything with Billy's name on it—most of the contents within lacked any sense of organization, a hodgepodge of aging, yellowing paper.

I began rummaging through the last one, and from a precursory examination, appeared to solely contain traffic accident reports. My eyes instantly locked onto the name filled in the corresponding space when I pulled out and opened the first file— _William "Billy" Black_. Was this the same Billy my father knew? What were the odds? Still, it was a better lead than nothing. Little by little, I noted the various details printed on the sheet: the year of the accident—it occurred less than a decade ago; the residential address of the driver—he lived in the La Push reservation instead of Forks; and that the accident had been… fatal.

A feeling of sadness swept over me as I debated the possibility of Billy, dead—how was I going to discover my human past now? But after reading more of the report, I realized that the accident had not killed Billy, but rather another person in the same vehicle— _Sarah Black_. Was she Billy's wife? His daughter? Or just a relative? Placing the folder back into the slot, I continued checking the rest of the files; when they all lacked any mention of Billy's name, I grew more and more certain that William Black was indeed Billy.

The sound of tires rolling on asphalt alerted me to a car pulling into the parking lot in front of the station, its headlights momentarily illuminating the room as it turned into an empty spot. When the engine finally cut off, I already returned the paper in its original spot in the cabinet. Once I ensured nothing in the room was out of place, I tightened my muscles and launched myself, aiming for the skylight as my exit; I gripped the edge of the frame with one hand and flipped myself out back on top of the building. I hurriedly shut the window closed when I remembered about the broken lock—oh well. There wasn't much I could do to repair it, and I doubted anyone would care if they did discover it.

I casually stepped off the roof, instinctively bending my legs to absorb the impact, and landed softly on the grass. I suppose the next course of action was to determine if this Billy Black was the same man who knew my father. And so I began traveling east, where the La Push reservation was located near the coast. It was dinnertime for humans—the sounds and smells of cooking food leaked from houses into the damp air, mildly unpleasant, as I dashed through the town, sticking close to the sparse vegetation that clung to the edges of the roads and sidewalks.

I was grateful when I eventually left town, crossing into the deep woods that clearly marked where human civilization's reaches ended. Speeding up slightly due to impatience, I nimbly darted through the dense forest, feeling a peculiar sense of excitement—I was eager to find him. I hadn't been paying much attention when I unexpectedly crossed a fresh, unfamiliar trail, only a few minutes old, that could only be accurately described as a wet dog smell. It almost made me gag—the stench was both dense and intense. I immediately ran through a list of animals that I had encountered before in the past in my mind, but none smelled remotely close to anything this bad—so what had created it?

Without warning, inexplicably heavy footfalls shattered my preoccupation and stole my concentration—they were to my left, eighty yards away, and dangerously following me, running parallel to my path. I was prepared to ignore it—no animal could injure me anyway, regardless of size or temper—but my intuitions told me this was something different. No _natural_ animal sounded as large and loud as the one behind me; they would also typically try to avert my attention by fleeing.

An ear-splitting howl pierced the empty stillness of the forest, reverberating from my right—another one of the same kind of animal had joined the pursuit. I started bounding faster and further apart, my breathing unnecessarily accelerating as I propelled myself to an incredible velocity. The frequency of the deafening steps increased—the two animals quickly adjusted their speed to compensate and match my own; I could hear their pounding hearts working harder, yet still thudding abnormally steadily.

"Fuck!" I cursed as I abruptly changed my vector, barely missing the leaping, horse-sized, solid black colored wolf that blurred by, its muzzle open and displaying an impressive collection of milky teeth. He landed agilely on the grassy forest floor and spun around within a second—I was taken aback at his speed—before accompanying the other two, forming a triangle formation. What were those things? Immediately, I thought of werewolves—they certainly _looked_ like wolves. But what kind of werewolf was active during the _day_? These definitely weren't the same Caius hunted.

Suddenly, I understood what they were doing—the wolves were driving me away from La Push; we were now headed north, into barren wilderness. Although the three wolves were chasing me, they maintained a leery distance inbetween. It was only when I noticed two new heartbeats and footfalls behind me, a few moments later, that they began to close the spacing. I didn't dare try looking back—my keen senses were adequate enough of confirming the scenario unfolding behind me, as well as I didn't want to risk slowing down by crashing into a tree.

With the five enormous wolves catching up, the impulse for self-preservation nearly overwhelmed me, but I resisted its impulses. I knew I had to act and think rationally in this unique situation or face making a fatal mistake—I couldn't rely solely on my instincts. I threw out my physical shield, concocting an invisible dome that followed my every step. When I spotted a small clearing in the forest ahead, I slowed down considerably, listening to the wolves decelerate in response, and swiveled around to face them once I was situated in the center. Sinking into a low crouch, I could see the wolves strategically surrounding me from different angles, their various dark eyes glittering against the murky green background.

The wolf standing in front of me was the same one that had leapt at me, its fur a rich, glossy black, and obviously the largest; his size was comparable to that of a horse, yet astonishingly much more muscular. An extremely dark brown—almost like coffee—wolf was positioned to his right a couple of feet away, marginally smaller than the first. Another one broke through the clearing, his fur a dull, silvery-gray color, baring his wide array of white teeth at me. Finally, I was flanked on both sides by two additional wolves—the one to my left was the second largest, with reddish-brown, almost exactly the shade of rust; the other was much smaller than the rest, giving off the impression of sleekness and stealth.

It was obvious to me that the black wolf was the leader—his stature, size, the overall 'dominant' sense I got from him. Although I wasn't sure if they would understand me, I decided to speak. "I do not wish to destroy you," I warned, my voice low with menace. Rumblings from their chest echoed through the woods that oddly sounded like laughter. After making sure my physical shield still enclosed me protectively, I narrowed my eyes. "You asked for it," I muttered.

I waited, tensed, until I caught the unmistakable flicker of motion—the dark gray wolf had sprang. He plowed into the invisible wall I'd projected two feet away from me while midair and stopped completely, unable to pierce it; a painless prick in my mind accompanied his action while he clumsily dropped to the ground. Whining, he shook his massive muzzle from side to side in pain and confusion.

I couldn't stop the smirk that escaped. "My turn," I announced. I rapidly threw out my shield like an explosion, sending the various wolves sailing backwards and crashing against the punishing thick tree trunks, some of which snapped under their weight.

 **A/N: Oh man! Pretty exciting stuff! I wonder how this fight will end up** — **I hope** **Bella doesn't hurt any of the wolves...**


	16. Chapter 16: New Encounters

(Updated 8/23/2017)

 **A/N: Just a few dialogue changes to improve the flow. Next Chapter will be out soon... I promise. Also, I've decided to begin actually responding to some of your reviews, at the end of every chapter, starting now** — **a new thing I'm trying out. Hopefully, I will continue going through with it as I do enjoy reading reviews.**

 **Chapter 16: New Encounters**

Three of the wolves—the leader included—immediately stopped halfway through their arching flight backwards when their bodies smashed into broad trees and dropped to the ground. The other two skidded to a halt along the mossy forest floor, leaving gouges in the soil that marked their path. Either way, it was quite entertaining witnessing the enormous wolves soaring through the air, having completely no idea what happened to them. But I had to be careful—I was still outnumbered.

I waited patiently as they sprang agilely to their feet, albeit with extreme caution now—they stared at me apprehensively while they began to circling me again, like sharks in the water. How was I supposed to escape? They couldn't physically harm me—my shield prevented the possibility—but I seriously doubted they would simply leave me alone if I took off running. Plus, I wasn't exactly inconspicuous if I decided to try and return to town with a pack of wolves trailing behind. That was the crux of my problem—we were at an impasse.

A distraction was necessary then, I mused. And I knew exactly how to create one—injure their leader. Not kill, as the rest of the wolves would never give up chasing me after that, but just enough for them to either split up while I made my escape or cause them to focus their entire attention on their fallen friend. With this plan in mind, I quickly located the black wolf—he was pacing in front of me. I then pushed out my shield so it encapsulated his body.

He whimpered in surprise when the wall shoved him forward gently; the shield became perfectly round once more. A look of comprehension came over his eyes—he knew he was trapped inside my dome—before they hardened into anger. He seemed intelligent enough to understand the gravity of his position—again, I deliberated whether they were werewolves or not.

I smiled widely. "I think you know what's about to happen, don't you?" I asked as I tensed my own body in preparation. He growled savagely in confirmation, also repeated by the pack surrounding us, and we began our deadly dance.

Instinctive snarls and growls erupted constantly as we circled each other within our little bubble; the pattern would be intermittently interjected with one of us suddenly rushing forward, provoking the other into making a mistake. His four other companions slowly revolved outside my dome, their tails swishing nervously, and occasionally, one would try and break through to help their leader to no avail—they would be stopped by the faint, shimmering solid barrier.

This wolf was a good fighter—he always made sure to conserve enough space and time for retreating or maneuvering around—but after probing for a bit to get a sense of how he fought, I knew I was far more experienced. Really, I was just toying with him—the harsh lessons learned from Felix and Demetri flowed through my every step, and I knew I could obliterate him, with or without my personal shield shrouding me.

We gradually began naturally tightening the radius, inch by inch, like a noose, leaving absolutely no margin for error. A part of me thoroughly enjoyed our little confrontation—although I'd been involved in many fights among the Volturi, those often lacked the feeling of a _proper_ , realistic fight, where you're faced with a life and death situation: one misstep could mean a lost appendage or potentially your life. The realization sent a thrill down my spine, reinvigorating me with a renewed sense of attention and wariness.

He stumbled slightly after I feigned pressing forward, and I seized the opportunity: I lunged for his neck. At the last quarter of a second, he turned his shoulder towards me in an effort to protect his vitals—it worked. I sank my teeth into his thick-furred shoulder, and almost instantly gagged. The blood that entered my mouth tasted completely and utterly _wrong_ —it was way too hot, and had an animalistic flavor that repelled any desire in my throat. I couldn't imagine any vampire even thinking about drinking the revolting blood.

He flinched when my teeth pierced his skin and let out an earsplitting, pained half-howl, half-growl. To my surprise, a few of the other wolves howled the same time he did—some in hurt, some in unfiltered fury. He tried throwing me off by violently shaking his entire body, but I stayed attached by grabbing ahold of his velvety fur—the temperature was extremely high, which reminded me of the feeling of touching an open flame—I continued forcing more of my venom into his system.

Ducking the front half of his body, he knocked me away with a violent, sweeping hit of his muzzle, and hastily backed up until he hit the edge of my shield. I somersaulted through the air and landed lithely on the balls of my feet. I smiled at my handiwork—he began to sway unsteadily, like an inebriated human, before shakily collapsing to the ground, resting onto his right side. I hadn't been sure if my venom would induce any effect, as werewolves were immune, so I was extremely pleased with the result. Which also raised the question—if they were not true werewolves, what exactly were they? Beside us, thunderous snarls and growls filled the air, but they barely bothered me. Honestly, I was accustomed to the irritating sounds.

I unhurriedly strolled to where the onyx wolf laid—he was panting heavily, sucking down oxygen in a desperate manner. I had to give him credit where credit was due—he made a valiant attempt to get back on his feet and fight, but failed, falling onto the floor again. Crouching down cautiously, I had to briefly dart backward when he tried biting me; his jaws clicked quietly at the empty air. I pressed a hand onto the side of his muzzle, locking his jaws together to sure he was under control for what I was about to do. My other hand gently scratched the top of his head, imitating the motion of petting a dog perfectly—again, his fur felt like fire as a result of the abnormal temperature, a scorching sensation. The other wolves snarled at the derisive manner, making me grin internally.

"Sorry about this," I murmured into his ear after the feral sounds died down.

Standing up, I positioned my right foot above one of his two hind legs, and casually stepped down. A sickening crunch of the bone snapping reverberated throughout the forest, accompanied by a sudden, prolonged howl of hurt from the black wolf, which was also echoed by the others. Thankfully, no blood spilled—the bone didn't puncture his skin. His body curled up into a loose ball, and his head relaxed against the grass, breathing in and out sharply. Outside, the wolves were wild; they continued to circle my invisible shield, growling viciously and occasionally taking a glimpse to glare—I almost laughed aloud when I saw the trail they had accidentally dug into the ground as a result. I knew they desperately wanted to reach their leader and to injure or kill me.

I coiled my body, preparing to take off, when a familiar, semi-deep voice shouted, catching my attention and causing me to stop short. "Bella!" I glanced to my right, past the silvery-gray wolf that partially obscured my view—three vampires stood motionless near the edge of the clearing. The wolves, having been engrossed with me and my antics, were startled by their presence; they quickly retreated to the opposite side of where the additional vampires were located.

I immediately recognized them as they approached carefully, Carlisle with his hands up to symbolize peace, or at least neutrality—he lowered them once he knew I saw him. "Carlisle? Edward? Emmett? What are you doing here?" I asked, caught off guard.

He paused five feet away with Edward and Emmett at his sides; he glanced at the wolves without surprise in his features, then at the injured ebony one by my feet with obvious concern. His reaction to the wolves—or, lack thereof, to be precise—made me suspicious. Had he met these creatures before? Carlisle then exchanged a look with Edward, who nodded his head once—I had an inkling they were communicating silently, through Edward's gift. "We followed your scent when Alice saw that you disappeared," he explained slowly. "She thought you might have been in trouble."

I frowned, confused. "What?" was all I could manage. What did Carlisle mean when he said 'Alice saw my disappearance'? She was a human—her senses were a million times weaker than mine. It was impossible for her to have seen me running through the woods or in town since I left their house.

"Might as well tell her, Carlisle," Emmett mumbled next to him.

My frown deepened considerably. "Tell me what?" I inquired impatiently, growing irritated with the cloak-and-dagger-esque secrecy surrounding Alice; especially where she got the notion that I was having a problem with something, which turned out to be true—monstrous wolves.

Edward hesitated for a moment. "Alice can see into the future—though her visions are not always reliable or correct," he admitted begrudgingly.

I blinked my eyes twice, my previous frustration replaced with shock. "Are you serious? But she's a human," I protested.

Carlisle nodded his head once in affirmation. "Yes, she is. Her gift is still latent, and based on what you shared with us, appears to be very similar to when you were human. But it's there," he pointed out. I wondered if this was partly the reason why Alice was with the Cullens—her gift, if its manifestation while human was really true, would almost certainly transfer and become amplified once a vampire. And having acquired the ability to foresee the future… her usefulness was limitless.

I opened my mouth to speak, but a forceful, exaggerated huff came from the rust colored wolf, interrupting me—he was staring at the Cullens, then deliberately turned to me, distrust clear in his dark eyes. Whirling around, he darted deep into the forest and around the trunk of a massive cedar, disappearing from our line of sight. He didn't go very far, as I could still perceive the his heartbeat—maybe twenty yards or so away. The remaining three wolves fell back to guard his flanks, warily eyeing us. A peculiar _shimmering_ emanated from behind the tree—it was difficult to describe. It was like the indistinct, soft tinkling of wind chimes, yet much smoother and quieter.

The sound of rustling fabric followed after the shimmering ceased, rubbing against itself and on another surface; a young man emerged wearing only a pair of worn, indescript tan shorts. My eyes widened in shock as I scrutinized him with a sense of fascination—he _was_ a werewolf! He was tall, had pitch-black hair, and intense, dark hazelnut brown eyes. His skin was an unusual russet hue, with muscles protruding from underneath. Glancing up at the thinly cloud-veiled night sky, I realized there was a slight problem—there was no full moon out. How was it possible for him to have transformed into a werewolf?

"Sorry if I'm barging in your little reunion here—" his voice was thick with heavy sarcasm "—but do you know her, Carlisle?" the man addressed bitterly. They did know each other, as I suspected. Though I could tell the human had difficulty getting Carlisle's name out—there was the barest hint of resentment.

"I do. Jacob, this is Bella. Bella, Jacob," Carlisle awkwardly introduced. "She's… an acquaintance," he summed up rather blandly.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at the answer. "That's one hell of an 'acquaintance'," he retorted curtly. I shot him a wink, and he promptly replied with a low growl in his chest, which was odd since he was in his human form—it sounded too wild, too animal-like. "She's got some kind of telekinesis superpower—we couldn't touch her," he accused.

I felt a smirk form on my lips. "Close enough," I chuckled lightly.

Emmett frowned to himself, saddened. "I've always wanted to tangle with a werewolf," he whined with evident longing.

"There's not much to it," I assured with another smile. "And they didn't pose that much of a challenge." Obviously, the wolves disliked that remark; the three snarled mutedly in protest while Jacob glowered at me.

"Stupid leech," he muttered in a cute, derogatory way.

" _Leech_?" I laughed amusedly. I had to give it to him—his insult was certainly entertaining and true. "I like it." I grinned at him, but stopped when the black wolf beneath me shifted his crumpled posture slightly. The movement failed to escape Carlisle's gaze—he twisted his head to inspect the injured animal closely.

"Bella, would you mind if I had a look at Sam?" he quietly requested. Sam? Was that the name of this wolf? But what interested me more was how Carlisle appeared to know these creatures—they weren't exactly friends, but acknowledged each other's existence. If they turned out to be true werewolves, the same ones Caius despised, then this would be the second time the Cullens had broken a law. Yet, I got the impression that they were something entirely different.

I decided to simply state the obvious. "You know him, don't you Carlisle?" I questioned.

He exchanged another uncertain look with Edward—the latter ducked his head infinitesimally. "Yes, we've met before," he finally answered after a second of silence.

I nodded to myself. "That's what I thought. Go ahead," I granted, stepping away from Sam and easily dissipating my projected shield to allow him access.

"Thank you," he breathed gratefully and began walking toward us. He paused halfway, seeming to remember something. "Edward? Would you please ask Sam if I could look at him, too?"

Edward stood still for a brief moment, distracted. "He said yes," he faithfully relayed. Carlisle, reassured that he had sufficient permission, continued walking. He crouched down over Sam upon reaching him; the wolf growled in warning, but the noise soon died off, having reluctantly accepted Carlisle's offer of aid. The rest of the wolves watched anxiously as he methodically examined his patient. "Sam wants you to know his left leg's broken," Edward added. "And that it isn't healing." Carlisle immediately focused his attention to the lower half of the body, tenderly prodding around with his right hand, which was met by a low, pained whine.

While Carlisle tended to Sam, I decided to speak with Jacob. I wanted to understand the motivation behind why they were attacking vampires—and considering how they're gigantic, supernatural wolves, probably successful in that regard. "So… _Jacob_ ," I began with uncertainty, exaggerating the enunciation of his name's two syllables. "Do you always try to kill a vampire you come across?"

His facial expression was stony as he stared at me blankly. "Yes," he replied with a hard edge in his voice, and said nothing after that. So much trying to start a conversation—I raised an eyebrow, giving him a ' _well, care to elaborate?_ ' look. "I don't see why I have to tell you anything, _Bella_ ," he spat with a sneer.

I jutted my bottom lip out slightly, pouting. "I thought it was common courtesy to answer the person who whipped you their questions," I commented innocently.

His dark brown eyes shone with restrained fury. "Whipped?" he repeated in incredulity.

"I'm sorry, you must've forgot what happened earlier," I reasoned in a gentle, condescending tone. "Perhaps you would enjoy a reminder?" I flashed him an alluring smile, tensing my body for a fight.

He scowled at me, deliberating. "Maybe I would," he responded cockily. Behind him, the remaining wolves snarled savagely in agreement.

But before anything unpleasant could occur, Edward interrupted first, ruining my chances of having fun. "Don't," he warned, looking straight at Jacob—it felt like they were wordlessly communicating.

The eerie silence that followed was broken by Carlisle clearing his throat. "I'm embarrassed to admit I'm not a certified veterinarian, but it is quite clear that his leg's completely fractured," he confirmed, standing up onto his feet. His eyes flickered toward the group of wolves. "I'd recommend Sam shifting back to human so I can properly diagnose him of his injuries."

"Might be difficult if he's surrounded by leeches," noted Jacob, leering at me in particular. "Carlisle's probably fine." He struggled to make his tone lighter.

Considering I had better things to do than to watch Carlisle treat Sam's wounds, that was my cue to leave. "Well, I wish his recovery the best of luck—I'll be on my way again," I informed.

"Wait," Jacob commanded, taking a step forward and held up his hand to symbolically stop me. "Where do you think you're going?"

This boy was starting to piss me off—I bit back a growl at his rude tone. "Excuse me?" Did he honestly believe that he had the power to order me around? I was beginning to regret not choosing to break _his_ bones.

"I know you were trying to go to La Push, and I wanna to know why," claimed Jacob, folding his arms across his chest in a masculine display of impressive muscles. His overall posture radiated an intimidating attitude, but failed to elicit the intended reaction from me.

I narrowed my eyes. "That's none of your business," I shot back. Why was I arguing with this brute?

"Not a chance, bloodsucker. La Push _is_ my business," he countered. This tidbit of information interested me. It seemed that I was correct—the wolves _were_ chasing me away from La Push. How curious, were they purposely protecting their town from vampires? Was that their home?

I tilted my head to the side. "How did you know I was trying to go to La Push?"

He rolled his dark eyes. "S'not that hard. Once we heard you, we realized you were headed straight toward the rez. Now quit stalling and tell me why," he demanded again.

I mirrored his roll of the eyes with my own—it was clear he wasn't giving up. I doubted he would let me leave alone, regardless. A small part of me admired his persistence, but as of right now, I was mostly annoyed. "If you must know, I was heading for La Push to find a human that lives there. From what I've found, his name's William Black, but is also known as Billy Black," I explained with a sigh. So much for trying to remain inconspicuous—here I was, telling a werewolf I'd just met my plans.

It was unnerving how quickly everyone became suddenly silent. Alarmed, I glanced around in an attempt to understand why, but failed to gather the reason. All except Jacob wore expressions of shock and recognition—Jacob's was hostile and unequivocally angry. The only logical explanation I could come up with was that both the Cullens and the wolves knew Billy, which I admit, had me intrigued. Was he even human? Otherwise, how did these two entirely dissimilar groups appear to recognize him?

"What do you want with Billy?" Jacob ordered, his voice fallen completely flat.

I ignored his menacing tone. "It's something strictly between him and myself."

Jacob remained adamant in his quest to keep glaring me down. "I don't care," he replied indifferently, but then his expression softened ever so slightly. "He's my father."

"He's your _father_?" I clarified, stunned. What were the chances I would meet the son of the human I was seeking? Also, since Jacob was a werewolf, did that mean Billy was one as well? That would explain how the wolves and the Cullens seemed to know him.

"Yes," was his single, wary reply.

A resigned sigh escaped from my lips. There was no point—or possibility—in keeping my purpose here a secret. Besides, I could always slaughter all the witnesses—mainly the werewolves, the Cullens I knew wouldn't dare betray me—should the need arise. "I only wished to ask him a few questions regarding another human—if he even remembers," I admitted.

Jacob was about to speak again when he was interrupted by a weak, yet exaggerated cough that originated from Carlisle. "If you don't mind, Jacob, I'd like your permission to cross the border so I may bring Sam back to his house. I will also need to retrieve my bag of medical supplies from my own home, so this may be done without anyone noticing the extent of his injuries," he notified gravely.

The corners of Jacob's mouth turned down. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I believe the combination of venom in his system coupled with his broken leg is causing him to come in and out of consciousness—he's incoherent," Carlisle elucidated.

Jacob squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose, and let out a hushed sigh. "I hate being in charge," he muttered quietly to himself. "Okay. Jared, Paul—go with Carlisle to Sam's and drop him off. Then one of you watch him while the other goes with Carlisle as he gets his stuff and comes back. Keep Emily away as long as you can." The two wolves that were mentioned whined in protest; realistically, the one with dark gray fur growled. "Quit complaining and go," Jacob ordered.

Undeterred his enormous size, Carlisle scooped Sam up rather easily into his arms, being careful not to accidentally strain the injury any further. Once he ensured Paul and Jared were by his side, they took off into the woods to the southwest, their footfalls becoming more faint with each passing second. Only two wolves remained—Jacob and the dull-gray, black-spotted one—the even numbers made both suddenly nervous.

"Edward," I addressed, examining him. He had been watching Carlisle depart, too. "Can you tell Alice I'd love to meet with her again, hopefully sometime soon?" I dismissed politely with a smile.

He bowed his bronze-covered head. "Of course," he replied.

My smile grew wider. "Thank you." Edward quickly disappeared southeast not a second later—he was rather fast for a vampire. I waited a couple more seconds, allowing him to distance himself from us, before I turned to face Jacob. "You were saying before?"

He hesitated, then shook his head slightly. "I was going to suggest that if we guard you during your whole visit to La Push, you'd be allowed in. But that sounds like a very stupid idea, even by my standards—my ancestors would hamstring me, and my brothers too, if they found out I _purposely_ let a vampire on our lands." He rolled his eyes.

My eyebrows tugged together in confusion. "I thought Carlisle already had permission? That's a bit of a double-standard, don't you think?" I pointed out.

He frowned at me. "That's… different. Carlisle doesn't hunt _people_ , unlike you. And out of all the _Cullens_ —" his face twisted with mild detestation at the name "—he's the one I trust most."

As much as I loathed taking orders from this particular werewolf, I had to admit there was no way for me to enter La Push without drawing attention if I didn't have their consent. While the endeavor of defeating the wolves would be easy—I already took out their leader—I was skeptical the actual battle would be as inconspicuous as it had been now, where we were surrounded by miles of relatively empty forest.

I pouted back. "That's not fair."

"Life's not fair," he mocked.

"I _promise_ I won't kill anyone," I vowed, rolling my eyes in exasperation. "I would never I'm not thirsty anyway," I mumbled under my breath, ignoring the murderous glare he sent my way. I wondered if he knew exactly how powerless he'd be if he tried to stop me.

After a minute of inner deliberation, he finally spoke. "Fine," he huffed, aggravated. "But only because Carlisle seems to trust you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "What's not to trust?" I asked innocently. Jacob opened his mouth to begin listing his reasons—which I had no doubt there would be plenty, in his eyes at least—but I hurriedly stopped him before he could enunciate even the first syllable. "That was rhetorical, by the way," I added, rolling my eyes again.

"Just a few things first, bloodsucker. If you even _look_ at a human weirdly, we _will_ take you down. Don't talk to anyone else besides us. And when we reach my dad, I'll do the talking first," he instructed with a bit of steel.

I gestured for him to lead the way.

The spotted gray wolf trotted over while Jacob ducked behind another large tree again, and I could hear him changing out of his shorts. The unique twinkling effect lasted only a brief second before it was replaced with heavy breathing and footsteps as Jacob stepped into view.

"Cool," I mumbled. He snorted through his nose loudly, then glanced into the dark forest, waiting. "Lead the way."

Noiselessly, he departed with stunning speed, and I trailed casually behind a few feet. I could've comfortably raced and overtaken him, since I was faster than the average vampire, but I didn't want to risk provoking Jacob anymore than necessary—though it definitely would've been entertaining. I had a impression Jacob instructed the other wolf to protect his back because he never ran past me; it was a convoy of sorts, where I was the prisoner that was being escorted by prison guards.

The majority of the trip was quiet, and dare I say tranquil. It was a pleasant, peaceful change of pace, despite its brevity, like most enjoyable things in life. We were fast approaching the outskirts of La Push, and as a result, Jacob began slowing down. He finally stopped forty yards away from the closest street before him and the gray wolf both sidestepped in front of Douglas fir, cutting off my view so they felt comfortable enough to transform. It was pretty ridiculous, all things considered—vampire-slaying werewolves that were too embarrassed—or too polite, but I seriously doubted that was the case—to change in front of a female. Jacob appeared with what I assumed to be the human version of the spotted gray wolf. He was a little bit shorter than Jacob, but still abnormally tall; his eyes were a gentle chestnut brown, and had the same russet skin and black ink hair.

I eyed pointedly at the boy beside him. "What's your name?" I inquired politely, inquisitive.

He reciprocated the same polite tone. "Embry," he replied, though his rough voice revealed a slight edge to it—nervousness, most likely.

I nodded, pairing up the memory of him in his wolf form to his name and human face. "Pleasure to meet you," I smiled genuinely. Though it was only minutes ago that these werewolves tried to kill me, I was fascinated by them—to an extent. While in their human form, I found them to be somewhat bearable, despite the revolting smell they gave off, compared to their wolf counterparts.

Jacob somehow managed a dubious-looking roll of his dark eyes. "Good one, parasite. C'mon, get moving," he urged rudely.

As difficult as it was, I held back the growl that threatened to escape from my chest. Instead, I settled for glowering at him as lightly as I could when I suddenly swore internally at myself for almost forgetting a crucial detail—since I planned on speaking with a human, and perhaps unexpectedly crossing by one, I needed to disguise my eyes. "Wait," I instructed, mirroring his authoritative tone of voice, only a hundred times better. "Give me one second." I'd let my guard down, which honestly surprised me. I was usually prepared for these types of things—interacting with humans. Maybe I felt a little _too_ comfortable—or more likely, too cocky—amongst the werewolves, which threw me off.

Jacob raised an eyebrow at me, his expression conveying immediate suspicion. "Why?" he demanded, stomping through the ferns to reach where I stood.

"Oh, calm down," I muttered, mildly annoyed, as I swung my backpack smoothly onto the soft, mossy forest floor and crouched down. Unzipping part of a side compartment, I fished out a small circular container and swiftly unscrewed the two caps on the top. Reminding myself not to blink, I pressed the rigid, midnight blue lenses against my eyeball one after another, and shoved the case back into my pack. Realistically, I figured I really didn't need to blink—for now, anyway—out of irritation for the things. It was only when I would meet Billy that I'd begin enacting my human facade.

Glancing up when I heard a soft snort to Jacob staring at me in scathing amusement, I reciprocated with another glare. "Need a way to hide your monstrous, vampy appearance, huh? Figures," he chuckled huskily.

I shrugged my shoulders when I straightened out again, looping my arms through the backpack's shoulder straps, ensuring it was held securely to my back. "I'll have you know that lots of humans have told me I look beautiful. Of course, this was usually before I killed them, but regardless, it's the thought that counts," I smirked, nonchalant. I knew this would anger him; he seemed extremely devoted to the protection of people.

The humor was instantly wiped from his face like flicking off a light switch, and was instead replaced with fury, as expected—I shot him a quick wink. "Life-sucking leech," Jacob growled in response.

"Keep 'em coming," I said with a grin. I motioned toward the empty street partially visible past the dense tree branches. "After you."

Ignoring me, Jacob unclenched his fists while exhaling forcefully through his nose, and after a pause, began trekking over various tree roots and bushes, heading toward the cracked concrete sidewalk a couple dozen feet away.

I trailed silently behind, my senses ranging outwards as a precaution while we walked along, the starlit sky partially lightening due to the inevitable sunrise, listening for anything out of the ordinary. I tried not to breathe too often because of the disgusting scent that originated from both werewolves—the dripping wet dog smell was even worse now that I was standing right next to them. There hadn't been too much wind during the confrontation, but now that we were in an open street, their scents blew around freely—swirling right into my face.

A couple of times, I would detect human heartbeats, but they were muffled—safely hidden either inside a house or car. Thankfully, no humans crossed paths with me—I really didn't want the temptation or to set off the wolves.

Jacob abruptly turned toward a small house coated with a faded, chipping red paint, cutting across the abundantly green lawn. He was visibly agitated—his back was stiff and his fists were balled up again, tendons straining under his skin, as he walked up to the shoddy wooden door and knocked twice. The sound of rubber tires on hardwood surprised me—I'd been expecting human footsteps.

The door swung backwards, and sitting between the doorway was an old man in a wheelchair. He looked like an older, carbon copy version of Jacob—though there were a few physical differences. His skin had the similar russet color, but marginally darker and wrinkled with age. A few strands of hair had been converted into white at the root within a sea of straight black, and he wore extremely dark brown eyes—again, almost indistinguishable to Jacob's, except his were weary, yet also alert. He inspected Jacob first, then Embry, before resting his gaze at me. What unnerved me was his unapparent fear, like he knew exactly who I really was the moment he saw me.

 **A/N: Hope I'm doing this right...**

 **Elphaba Cullen—Glad you picked up on that! Personally, I find the whole instantaneous attraction and "You're my mate now" thing, well, boring** **—and overdone. I wanted it to be a bit more subtle** **—Bella doesn't understand _why_ she feels a slight attraction to someone she'd just met, but it's there.**

 **theresa23** **—Thank you for the kind words! Life is overwhelming, but exciting!**

 **The Alpha 100** **—Perfectly understandable... I figured some people might be excited after all my inactivity. Sorry about that, but the next chapter is coming out very soon!**


	17. Chapter 17: Revelations

**A/N: Ahh, yes.** _ **Finally**_ **,** _ **finally, FINALLY,**_ **the long-awaited continuation is here. Hopefully, I will meet your expectations after such a long wait. As always, be on the lookout for grammatical errors** **—** **I really should've proofread more** **—** **and let me know what your thoughts are on this chapter!**

 **(Posted 8/24/2017)**

 **Chapter 17: Revelations**

The sudden jolt to his heart rate indicated his surprise, yet the elderly man—who I assumed was Billy, since he and Jacob had the same recognizable physical traits—wordlessly wheeled himself back into the house. I'd been half-expecting him to at least make some kind of remark, mostly because of Jacob.

"Don't do anything stupid," the aforementioned boy warned under his breath, the words dangerously even with deadly intent, when he stepped past me and went inside.

"I won't," I promised in a hushed whisper as I entered the warm, cozy house. _Like I was going to kill the man who may know my human father_ , I thought with a roll of my eyes.

Immediately, my senses were assaulted by the lingering scent of human blood, promoting the welling of venom in my mouth. I wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse—the tempting aroma was marred by the familiar repulsive, animalistic smell that wafted in the atmosphere as a result of my escorts that quickly followed. Thankfully, the door was kept open, allowing a thin, steady stream of clean air in.

"Can I help you?" the old man said gruffly when he had wheeled himself to the kitchen.

I stopped beside what seemed to be the living room, which housed a black antique television and worn down, dirtied brown sofa. "Are you Billy?" I asked carefully. Behind me, Jacob and Embry took their respective attentive positions, leaning against the chipped pale, yellowing wall. I could almost feel their stares burning a hole in the back of my head.

His expression was decidedly wary when he slowly spun around to face me. "My name is Billy Black, if that's who you're searching for," he answered, the intonation of his words not revealing any major emotions.

"Were you friends with a man named Charlie? Charlie Swan?" I continued, my optimism continuing to grow. I had to remind myself to keep my voice soft and steady since I was speaking to a human—I couldn't reveal my true identity. Although he was assuredly related to Jacob, who appeared to have occasionally fought my kind before, I wasn't certain if his father knew what his son's _extracurricular_ activities entailed.

His face revealed a mix of both surprise and recognition, along with faint sadness—his eyes narrowed ever so slightly in response. "Yes, I was. He passed away a long time ago, along with his wife," he replied, full of remorse. "Why do you want to know?" His voice hardened ever so slightly.

I took a much needed breath to steady myself, ignoring the painful flash the action caused to my throat. I might as well inform him who I was related to human-wise—it was pointless keeping it a secret if I wished to uncover any information about my parents. Still, it was difficult to get the words out, for some odd reason. "I was his daughter. I'm Isabella Swan—at least, I used to be," I hesitantly revealed.

Billy's heart stuttered for a beat or two, interrupting his otherwise steady rhythm, and jumped a couple beats faster, causing Jacob to glance at him with worry. A prolonged silence filled the room, save for the three individual heartbeats. "You're his daughter?" Billy echoed doubtfully after he calmed back down. His reaction didn't really surprise me; after all, I had just admitted to being the daughter of his old, dead friend. "You're… Isabella _Swan_?" He stated again, still in shock.

I could only manage nod my head in confirmation.

He stared at me, his extremely dark brown irises unexpectedly becoming emotionless. "I remembered seeing you on the news—they said that it was a home abduction, and that the police didn't have any solid leads. And I remembered thinking you had the worst luck in the world—your parents died, then you were kidnapped—but you don't exactly need help anymore, do you? Especially mine." His tone hinted at something, though I couldn't determine exactly what.

I tilted my head to the right, scrutinizing him closely. "What's that supposed to mean?" I inquired politely, keeping my voice smooth and even.

Billy held up his hands to stop Jacob when he snarled warningly, having heard the hidden threat within my words. "Nothing… only you're a vampire, aren't you?" he questioned cautiously.

Stiffening immediately, I frowned, pursing my lips slightly. "How'd you figure that out?" I questioned, perplexed—though I had a nagging suspicion he knew, given his paternal relationship to Jacob.

Billy chuckled a low, humorless laugh. I, on the other hand, did not find this amusing. If Aro discovered humans were aware vampires existed in this part of the region, he wouldn't hesitate for a second to send the Guard to cleanse those that knew. And I would most certainly help—the law was of the utmost importance.

"Isabella, generations of certain Quileute members have always defended our tribe against the Cold Ones. We are taught through legends and experience on how to defeat them and recognize the signs—paleness, eye color, speed and strength. So, I was able to easily figure out that you are, indeed, a Cold One," he explained in a serious demeanor.

My frown deepened. Cold One? Was that their terminology for a vampire? At least it was accurate, compared to typical human mythology. I also briefly wondered how many vampires they've successfully killed in their endeavors to protect their 'tribe'. And given the fact how Jacob and his gang freely chased me around without fear of repercussions until I'd retaliated, it was safe to assume their teeth was more than capable of piercing my skin. But definitely not my shield—the thought made me smile.

"The werewolves defend your tribe, don't they?" I guessed.

His eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Werewolves?" Billy reiterated, completely mystified, as he rolled himself away from the kitchen and stopped a few feet in front of me—did he not know what his son was? His reaction felt wrong; it was though he'd never heard the word before, much less being applied to his son. I gazed pointedly at Jacob and Embry—both of which had edged closer to where I stood, tightening the limited distance between us.

Jacob snorted derisively through his nose, causing me to focus on him with amusement. "Probably 'cause we're not werewolves. We don't transform whenever there's a full moon out or eat people—we protect them from _you_ ," he sneered with a roll of his eyes.

I glared at him for a second or so before relaxing—as much as I desired to teach him a lesson in manners, it wouldn't bode well for his father to be caught in the fray; I still needed answers. "So instead of werewolves, you're a creature that _coincidentally_ looks and morphs into a wolf?" I clarified, frowning again. However, this confirmed the hunch I had that they weren't since the beginning—their characteristics did not correlate perfectly to the ones Caius described to me in the past. They didn't require a full moon to change, ran in what appeared to be a structured pack, and were self aware of their capabilities, whereas almost the entirety of the werewolf population were completely oblivious.

"Yeah. We're…." Jacob trailed off, his eyebrows knitting together in shallow contemplation. "Shapeshifters," he finally found.

"Shapeshifters," I muttered, shaking my head in astonishment. What were the _freaking_ odds that I'd meet a coven of vampires _and_ a posse of werewolves, all centered around the insignificant, little town where my father grew up? Seriously, the statistics had to have been around one in several hundred million or to that effect. On the other hand, they weren't really true werewolves but something entirely different, so that chalks up another couple million.

I knew it was improper to categorize them as werewolves, but it was probably easier to identify them as such instead of calling them 'shapeshifters that coincidentally look like enormous, monstrous werewolves'—the description lacked a certain delicate _je ne sais quoi_ ; it didn't exactly roll off the tongue. Fate—or my luck, rather—had an infuriating way of making my life a bit more interesting.

What had me worried in the back of my mind, however, was the risk of exposure. If Billy was able to easily recognize my being a vampire, then were there other humans like him in this town? Were they teaching ordinary people about us? These pressing questions demanded immediate answers, and unfortunately, I had to hold off my own about my parents until they were.

"How many people know about all of this?" I probed. I wasn't sure what my expression was, but Billy must have picked up on the change of my tone to seriousness because his heart rate increased a few additional beats. I tried to even it out for the sake of being professional—it was all Volturi business now.

"About all of what?" he said, perplexed.

"Cold On—vampires," I corrected myself. "Your shapeshifters." I paused. "If humans suspect the Cullens are not who they're pretending to be."

"Why do you care?" Jacob interjected as Billy opened his mouth to respond, eliciting a low growl from myself. Clearly, he didn't understand the severity of his situation.

I glowered at Jacob, irritated. "If a human knows of our existence, of vampires, it is the law and our duty to silence them. To prevent them from revealing the secret to others. And taking into account how quickly your father deduced who I really am…." I trailed off.

Violent tremors rippled all over Jacob's body, vibrating him like a tuning fork as he pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning against. I automatically backed away, readying myself for a fight; my muscles tensed, and I double checked the impenetrable layer I had around on me. I almost slipped into a crouch, but I fought against the instinct—it only would've worsened Jacob's preliminary reaction.

"Jacob! Calm down," Billy shouted sharply, rolling himself closer to the living room, facing toward where Jacob was standing.

I briefly imagined what would happen if Jacob transformed in this tiny house—and cringed internally. Clearly, Billy would be seriously injured—killed, even—in the ensuing fight to defend myself; and if that were to happen, considering I haven't had a chance to ask him the rest of my questions, it was in my best interest to protect him. With a flick of my wrist, I threw out an invisible sphere from myself that quickly reached Billy and hovered in the air right above his lap. I flexed my fingers outward, and it followed my orders; the bubble allowed Billy to pass through as it expanded like a latex balloon, surrounding him in a facet of my physical shield. The entire process only a mere thirty milliseconds from decision to having him safeguarded, which pleased me. Thankfully, no one noticed the small movement.

"You will _not_ touch him." Jacob quivered where he stood, his purposefully flat voice designed to be intimidating—but not to me.

"You should probably go outside, Jacob," I suggested helpfully, unperturbed. "I don't think your father would fare well if you _shifted_ inside."

"I'm not going to hurt my own dad," he argued, half of the sentence coming out in a jumbled string of snarls. Another powerful shudder rocked his body forcefully and he deliberately exhaled, a fruitless attempt to control himself.

"Well, _I'm_ not going to either," I hissed in frustration. How many times had I made it clear I wasn't looking to harm him? "He's worth more to me alive than you."

Embry placed a large, also trembling hand on Jacob's shoulder, both to restrain and calm him down. "Jake—I got this, bro. Just come back after you cool off. I swear she won't do anything to your father or she'll regret it," he vowed. Without a word, Jacob stormed past Embry and through the open doorway, swinging around to the backyard. The strange shimmering sound of him transforming into a wolf echoed soon after, and I could hear him running toward the woods. Reassured, I quickly dissolved the shield encapsulating Billy.

The tension slowly bled from the air and after a moment of silence, Billy spoke again, anxious this time, as he twisted to placate me. "That won't be necessary, Isabella. The vast majority of Quileutes think of the legends as what they are—only myths and legends." He sighed wearily. "The last time I saw a wolf transform in front of my eyes, other than Jacob, was my grandfather, when I was a young boy. And since then, I have been more aware of the supernatural that exists in this world."

"What if you decide to share your supernatural experiences and knowledge with other humans?" I countered, folding my arms across my chest.

Billy let out a small, tired laugh. "Who's going to believe me? Most people nowadays think I'm a superstitious old man. The same Quileute legends have been told for generations past, and now, it seems like only the elders still consider it to be true," his voice saddening near the end.

I frowned to myself. "And what about the _shapeshifters_?"

He shook his head. "No. They are forbidden to tell anyone else what they are, and what they do." His eyes flickered up to mine. "Much like yourself."

Despite the obvious liability at hand of leaving them alive, I had to give credit where credit was due: the fact that the Volturi—and other vampires for that matter—were completely oblivious to their existence. Otherwise, Aro would have warned me prior to taking my trip here. And if the wolves were capable of remaining hidden from their radar for 'generations,' it was a safe enough bet to make that they could continue to do so—probably because the wolves kill any vampire that encroached their lands, as alluded to by Jacob. Which, by the way, I wasn't too sure how I felt about that.

Caius had always reveled in the success of pushing werewolves to the brink of extinction, and it _was_ justified; they were our 'natural enemies,' as he'd put it, competing for our food source and real contenders in a one-on-one fight. Yet here was a pack of werewolf-like creatures, who were more than capable of defeating vampires. Would it be right leaving them alive, targeting the next unsuspecting victim? I decided it wasn't really my call to make; besides, Caius and Aro would both be interested to hear about them when I returned. They weren't true werewolves anyway, but a different species that took on similar characteristics.

I realized I'd turned into a statue while deliberating, perfectly motionless in the middle of the living room—since I didn't feel any fatigue, I could've stayed this way for several more hours. I shifted my weight onto one of my legs—I always forgot to feign how a human constantly fidgets. With a resigned sigh, I dropped my arms and combed back my hair with my right hand, refocusing my attention to Billy. "I suppose, for the time being, there's no need for intervention. So long as you keep our secret within your tribe to 'myths and legends,' obviously," I finally acquiesced.

Billy exhaled a small sigh of relief. "Thank you. And please keep ours to yourself, too," he requested. "We can't have stories circulating about large wolves running around in the forest."

I chuckled darkly once. "Of course," I agreed, the only exception being my family.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you become a… _Cold One_?" He had extreme difficulty getting the two words out.

I frowned to myself. "It's… difficult to explain—and a long story," I added.

"Try," a deep, recognizable voice spoke suddenly, startling me. My head whipped to the source, and saw Jacob standing inbetween the doorway, his arms folded tightly across his chest. They still trembled a little, but it was nothing compared to the previous magnitude. I'd been so engrossed in my conversation with Billy that I didn't notice him approaching.

I shook my head. "Like I said, it's a long story," I reiterated as Jacob stepped into the house, taking his old spot beside Embry, who'd been silent all this time except for his beating heart. "And I've been sidetracked since my arrival," I pointed out.

Jacob rolled his eyes at me, but conceded. "Fine." Wise of him.

"What would you like to know?" Billy inquired respectfully, though still unmistakably wary.

"I want to learn more about my parents. I can't recall much—only a few basic details."

He nodded his head, and his accelerated heart finally began showing signs of returning back to normal.

I had an entire mental list of questions prepared—an understatement in which mere words could not do it justice, considering I've been waiting for this moment ever since my desire to discover my short human history. It was painful holding back the tidal wave of curiosity that constantly threatened to overspill. "What was he like? His personality, I mean," I began, only the barest hint of interest present. I never fully understood _who_ my father was—to me, he was purely a biological ghost, an empty vessel of a person; I didn't know anything about him that could fill that missing informational void.

"He was… a good man," Billy succinctly summed up. He paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. "Charlie believed in things like honesty, courage, and kindness. That's part of the reason why he became a cop. He was funny. He was also quiet, but that was usually when he was alone and not with… Renée," he finished, adding a hint of uncertainty toward the end.

A breath I did not realize I'd been holding suddenly exhaled softly. There was a strange sensation of relief running through my body upon hearing these details about my father. Reassuring, somehow, that my faded perception and memories of him were not entirely incorrect—he wasn't a crazed serial killer or anything remotely close to that, but a normal person. It was an irrational fear, but one that could not be avoided. Thankfully, the outcome made me feel better about myself—the mysteries shrouding my past began to fade away.

My eyebrows pulled together. "Who's Renée?" I asked, intrigued.

"She was your mother."

" _Ren_ _é_ _e?_ " I repeated, thrown aback. It wasn't a name I was expecting at all. 'Charlie' was common enough for men, but 'Renée' was completely the opposite. "Really? What was she like, too?" Billy's reaction surprised me—his eyes narrowed dramatically and he frowned to himself slightly. I studied at him curiously, but he chose to say nothing.

"She was… flighty," Billy admitted cautiously, peering up at me. "Renée liked having fun without taking part of the necessary responsibilities that came with it. Don't get me wrong, she wised up when you were born—but she was never one for staying still."

I frowned, though not directly at anyone in particular, just coming to terms with the new information. It appeared that Charlie and Renée were somewhat opposites of each other—Charlie preferred stability, while Renée sought new, different experiences. And for whatever reason, it seemed like Billy had a grudge against Renée—was it a dislike for her 'flighty' behavior?

But rather than dwelling on past grievances, I soon voiced another question. "What did my father and mother look like?"

"Charlie had… brown curly hair and eyes, and he was around average height and build. Renée was shorter—around your height—had brown hair like Charlie, but blue eyes instead," he answered slowly.

The vagueness of their description was infuriating. How was I supposed to visualize my parents with nothing to go on but minimal details—if that was even considered the bare amount. "Do you have any pictures of them?" I questioned, suppressing the annoyance I felt from my voice—I knew it was a long shot, but it would be _sort of_ nice to be able to actually see what my parents physically resembled.

But, as I expected, Billy shook his head. "No, I don't," he replied, regret evident in his tone. "They did have a house in Forks before Charlie moved away. I don't think anyone lives there anymore, after the town learned about what happened to them. Out of respect, I believe." I quickly made a mental reminder to ask for directions to the house so I would be able to search it.

This was another crucial fact I wanted to uncover: the reason why Charlie and Renée—it was difficult getting used to saying her name—ultimately decided to move from Forks to Phoenix. "Why did they move?" I pressed.

Billy let out a tired sigh, and glanced out the dirtied window. "Charlie got an offer to be a cop in the city—he never said why, but I'm sure he took it so he could provide a better living for you and Renée. The pay was a lot higher there, that's for sure. And I don't think Renée wanted to raise you in Forks, either."

I arched an eyebrow upward. "Why not?"

His gaze returned. "Charlie brought it up once when we were together. He told me about how Renée was feeling sad, that he didn't know what to do. I eventually deduced that Renée hated Forks. That's why I convinced him to take the job."

My body suddenly froze from surprise. " _What_?" I blurted out in disbelief. My outburst alarmed Billy, making Jacob and Embry uneasy; they shuffled their feet as if they were simply stretching out a sleepy leg, but carefully inched closer to where I was. If my human parents hadn't moved to Phoenix, then they would be alive today. Yet, according to Billy, he was the person who persuaded my father to move away.

I wasn't certain how I felt about this newfound revelation.

On one hand, I'd longed for the experiences of mundane milestones and daily routines that was normal human life: making new friends, enjoying family interactions, graduating from various institutions of education, earning a degree and job, falling in love and potentially even starting a family. All of these achievements were unjustly stripped away from me. _Technically_ , you could argue that I was still capable of obtaining a few of these goals, only I wouldn't be _human_ while I did it. But on the other hand, if my parents hadn't been killed, I would have never met Demetri and Felix, Aro and the subsequent holistic Volturi. I would have never been thrust into—nor joined—the secretive, mythical world of vampires.

The two wolves stole another couple of inches—I could almost _touch_ the heat radiating off their massive bodies. "I'm fine," I snapped, causing them to take an involuntary step backwards. I inhaled as steadily as I could, wincing as the tortuous multitude of delicious and disgusting scents hit me, and unclenched my hands—I wasn't aware they were balled up to begin with. "I'm fine," I reassured, more for Jacob and Embry's benefit than not.

So what if Billy had convinced Charlie to relocate, which ultimately got them both killed? I couldn't change the outcome of the past—and, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't so sure I wanted to. The results of a resounding chain reaction all relied on the death of my parents—without it, I wouldn't have met my new family, home or friends. It was ridiculous, idiotic to impose any sort of blame onto Billy—he thought he was doing the right thing, helping his friend. And, I argued, it was impossible for him to predict—fathom, even—that the advice he'd give would have such devastating consequences.

"Forgive me, I… wasn't prepared for that."

An expression I wasn't expecting crossed his face—sympathy. "I'm sorry." His tired voice sounded like he was apologizing for everything—everything that'd happened to me.

I shook my head. "What's done is done. It's all in the past now, anyway." A hushed sigh escaped my lips. "I suppose that's all the questions I have right now. Thank you, Billy," I murmured gratefully.

There was something about Billy that you _had_ to respect. Sure, he was being protected by his brute of a son, yet despite all that, he'd let me inside his home knowing beforehand that I was a vampire. He'd managed an incredible feat of convincing me why I didn't need to wipe out the town. And after all that, he still answered my questions without hesitation. He had my utmost respect—which was something exceptionally difficult to earn.

For the first time since we'd met, he smiled, albeit a small one. "You're welcome, Isabella. Although, I ask that you do not return to La Push considering the circumstances of… what you are," he carefully requested.

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll try. If I do decide to come back for a visit, I'll let someone know," I informed with a grin. The idea of prohibiting someplace I wanted to go was downright hilarious and absurd; however, I didn't want to ruin whatever shaky relationship I've developed with the wolves, if any.

Billy sighed reluctantly in defeat. "I guess that's the best I can hope for," he admitted.

I started for the front door, but paused halfway, remembering something. "I've been meaning to ask—do you remember where Charlie and Renée's old house was?"

This was definitely on my next agenda—visiting my old home. For one, solely because my curiosity demanded it, but also to determine whether or not to buy the property itself. It would be nice to own the house of my brief human childhood, and I doubted Aro would have any objections to more real estate—a solid portion of our wealth came from the sheer amount of land holdings within our possession. Another added benefit was the possibility of turning it into a safe house—the reasonably close proximity to Seattle, coupled with the sparsely populated town where it was actually located, meant Heidi could stay overnights to fish for humans. Plus, I knew she loved any reason to buy—and store—more clothes, mainly for her trips.

Billy thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Near the end of town, I believe."

"Thank you." I ducked my head and resumed walking, the hardwood floor replaced by gray concrete indicating when I was finally outside. I sighed in relief after I'd cleared my lungs of the mixed human and werewolf scents, breathing in the slightly wet, clean air. The difference was unbelievable—I felt calmer and much more controlled.

Morning had already passed, and it was now midday; the sun, thankfully, still safely hidden by a thick curtain of ever-darkening gray clouds. I frowned to myself—a storm was on its way. The sound of two thudding hearts pulled me from my distracted state, and I instantly located where it was coming from—behind the house, approaching us with three sets of footsteps. Two were the louder impacts that I'd associated to paws against soil, while the other was the lighter steps of vampire. I stood patiently on the lawn when they'd reached the house, and I was joined by Jacob and Embry. A recognizable shimmering effect echoed through the cool air before they finally rounded the house. Of course, they weren't wolves any longer, as two unfamiliar guys in black shorts—Jared and Paul, only I didn't know which one was which—appeared alongside Carlisle.

I was about to greet him when I caught a hate-filled glare from one of the escorts—this again? It was starting to annoy me. He was tall and muscular—no surprise there—and his raven-colored hair was cropped short, a rough buzzcut. His hands were tight fists, the large, white knuckles standing out from underneath his russet-hued skin. Seriously, what was up with the fist-clenching? Were they always searching for someone to punch? Or did they have unresolved anger issues? Speaking of which, it seemed like he was struggling to contain himself from transforming into his wolf-form and fighting me—though the idea of a rematch was tempting.

I raised an eyebrow, shooting him a questioning look that clearly conveyed I was doubting his mental and emotional stability. "Is there something I can help you with?" I coaxed sweetly.

He snarled not-so-discreetly at me, instantly drawing the attention of everyone around him, and his hands began quivering. My lips curved upward into an inviting smile as I continued to egg him on, tilting my head to the side to convey an expression of ' _Well? Are you going to do anything about it?_ ' But before he act, his friend beside to him quickly planted his feet and shoved him back, preventing him from lunging at me.

"Jeez Paul, chill," the boy muttered. "Can't you see she's messing with you?"

I pouted at Jared—since I now figured out the person itching to fight was Paul—and he scowled, though his was more wary rather than hate compared to Paul. "Smart move," I complimented, ignoring the second snarl from Paul as I faced Carlisle. "Hey, Carlisle, how's Sam?" I greeted casually.

He had been observing us with a hint of stress in his features, but it was gone now, replaced with a polite smile as he strolled forward at a comfortable pace and stopped in front of me. "Hello again, Bella. He's sedated right now—I was able to successfully set the broken bone when he shifted back to his human form, which I must admit, is far more manageable," he chuckled humorlessly. He then twisted slightly to address Jacob and Billy, the latter coming outside when he noticed the commotion. "Please, call me if any complications arise. Otherwise, I should return home."

"Would you mind if I tagged along? I sent Edward back to your house—I wanted to let Alice know of my intentions to speak with her."

"Alice?" Jacob interrupted, eyes narrowing slightly. "She's still with you?" he scoffed.

Carlisle's expression hardened marginally, solidifying like ice. "Yes, as a matter-of-fact, she is," he defended with a bit of steel. "And Alice is welcome so long as she chooses to be there." How strange—he was completely serious. Obviously, the tension existed between the two groups because of Alice. It wasn't hard to determine the specific reason why—the wolves clearly disapproved of a human staying with the Cullens.

What was it about her that had the Cullens acting this way? Yet oddly enough, I saw parallels between her and myself. She was a human staying with a coven of vampires, such as myself before I was changed. Said vampires were _extremely_ protective of her, like my Volturi. And, she was gifted like me. Really, the situation she was present in was uncannily similar to that of mine.

"I was wondering why Edward wasn't accompanying you," said Carlisle, changing the subject and bring me back from my musings. "It's not like him to leave a lady by herself," he noted absentmindedly.

Jacob snorted softly. "Yeah, she's a lady all right," he mumbled sarcastically, earning himself a wink. He rolled his eyes at me. "We'll escort you both to the border," he added, louder this time.

"Border?" I reiterated in confusion, frowning. What was _that_ supposed to mean? I had doubts that it was a physical entity, as I did not see any signs alluding anything to that effect, but then again, I _was_ being chased by a pack of horse-sized, vampire-slaying wolves.

Jacob and Carlisle exchanged a quick glance at each other, and my frown deepened. I didn't like being kept in the dark. "It's a long story," Carlisle finally managed. "I'll explain it on the way home." Although I was suspicious, I trusted him enough not to press for answers. With an apathetic shrug of my shoulders, I gestured for Carlisle to lead me back into the safety of the dimly lit forest.


	18. Chapter 18: Gifted

**A/N: Nope, I'm not dead** **(yet)** **! My last posted chapter was almost a year ago** — **what a hiatus.** **And for that, I only have one thing to say** — **I'm sorry. I know I haven't been the best at keeping this story up to date (to say the least) but life in college has been keeping me very busy, especially my major. But now that it's the summer break (despite my taking summer classes) I feel comfortable enough to resume writing again. Plus, I ironed out some of the plot points I wanted to incorporate** — **I wasn't sure how to continue this story, which attributed to my long break** — **and even more (potentially) good ideas for the near future. To be honest, I don't know where this story will lead or end (because I don't even know what the ending is) but that's a bridge we'll burn once we cross it. Once more, I urge you to look for grammatical errors and mistakes (as I am a amateur writer) and feel free to leave a review (either good or bad). See you next time!**

 **(Posted 7/22/2018)**

 **Chapter 18: Gifted**

A drop of rain splashed against the spiny leaf of a nearby fern, shattering into thousands of minuscule droplets as Carlisle and I swiftly trekked through the serene forest. We were shadowed by the four shapeshifters, who gave us a wide berth trailing behind. We ran at a relaxed, casual pace—like taking a stroll through the park, except our speed was easily along the lines of sixty miles per hour. The only sounds that gave us away while we ghosted through the dense woods were the heavy pants and heartbeats of the wolves, accompanied by our steady breathing. It was strangely pleasant.

That silence was soon broken by Carlisle's soft-spoken anecdote surrounding the current "border" situation that currently exists between their territory and the wolves as a result of some old treaty. His explanation was briefly marked by the departure of the wolves upon reaching said invisible border, which I'd quickly memorized, but other than that, there were no interruptions. I listened intently as he went over his story, internally noting any important details for future reference.

"So you actually met the same wolves from that many years ago? Huh. Talk about real-estate depreciation. What are the odds?" I mumbled to myself.

He laughed quietly. "Slim to none, in fact. I believe they are completely different wolves from the ones I'd originally encountered."

"What makes you think that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

His expression suddenly became pensive, matching that of a person engrossed in scientific inquiry. "The unique color of their fur—none of the wolves I have met matches with the ones from my memory. I also haven't seen any recent signs of the original wolves. Therefore, they must be passing some sort of genetic trait that allows them to transform into the future generation, thus granting a guaranteed number of wolves to exist when the previous generation dies," he elaborated, amber eyes flashing with excitement.

The wolves were more rooted into this specific region than I'd originally thought. This might prove to be a problem—but seeing how none of my family have ever even _heard_ of these animals, despite their vast amount of resources and influence, they must be secretive as well. Or they're just good at killing vampires. Which, I wasn't sure what my stance was on, nor the Volturi's—they weren't really _werewolves,_ per se, but they were still capable of posing a legitimate threat against us. Or, specifically, any lone vampire that unwittingly wandered through their territory.

"Of course, you have to take my explanation with a grain of salt—it's just a theory grounded in personal experience," Carlisle cautioned, oblivious to my inner musings.

It was certainly a proposal I'd never heard of—once I refocused on what he was talking about—werewolves that passed the ability to transform through what I assumed to be human means, rather than infecting via a bite like a traditional werewolf. Would every human these wolves mated with result in an offspring that carried the werewolf gene, resulting in a population explosion? The prospect was sobering. Also, what triggers the human to transform? Did they do so in their youth, teenage, or adult years? All these unanswered questions left a bitter taste in my mouth. Obviously, the Volturi would need to look further into these matters. But for now, as long as they did not intend to reveal their true nature or that of the Cullens, they were allowed to live. Plus, as much as I felt capable in my ability to hold my own against their pack, I didn't feel comfortable without at least bringing along some backup—Felix and Demetri, for starters.

"It's a compelling theory," I complimented after a moment of silence. "One that is certainly possible. Have you considered testing it or committing to more observation?"

Carlisle managed a short, subdued chuckle. "Unfortunately, I have my own personal doubts about it. And I'd prefer to maintain the relatively peaceful relationship I have with the Quileutes. I don't believe Sam would appreciate any attempts to prove it by putting them under the microscope, so to speak."

"Relatively peaceful?" I asked, concerned.

He frowned to himself. "Yes. There were some… disagreements at first when the Quileutes discovered Alice was living with us."

Ah. The human-conscious werewolves weren't thrilled to find out that Alice was living with the Cullens? What a shocker.

"About that—how did a human wind up being protected by a coven of vampires?" I wondered.

Carlisle laughed to himself. "I'm afraid you're going to have to ask her yourself," he said, still chuckling. That was when I noticed we had already reached the outer fringes of his hidden house. "I do not wish to violate her trust, and besides, she can provide the more intricate details if she so chooses." It was at that moment that we broke through the thick, tall layer of plant growth that meticulously outlined the perfect perimeter, filling in the gaps between the skyscraper-like trees—it was clear someone was maintaining it.

"I suppose that's only fair," I agreed.

Edward was patiently standing still outside on the porch with a slightly fearful Alice right next to him. She wore a yellow raincoat with the hood pulled up, whereas Edward's donned a more casual attire. Alice appeared out of place in this overly-green environment—it was too bright, too cheerful.

Being surrounded by massive wolves and the abhorrent aromas they produced had definitely desensitized me to human blood. Her chocolatey fragrance, captivating and delicious, smashed into my face like a freight train as soon as I'd caught a whiff of it wafting through the air, marred slightly by Edward's scent. My feet automatically stopped and my hands balled into fists as the smell of human blood sent my mouth watering and reminded me of how hungry I was.

I sighed internally.

Now that we were back in relative safety, I realized the fight with the werewolves had taken more out of me than I'd expected—I was mentally exhausted. Who knew being chased by and dueling by horse-sized wolves would be tiring? However, I forced myself to continue trudging and refused to let thirst take advantage of my weary mind and weaken my composure—I was stronger than that. But I was still vaguely aware of my empty stomach as I relaxed and unclenched my fists. Swallowing down the venom that pooled in my mouth didn't exactly help, either.

"Greetings, Edward and Alice," I said upon reaching the two, acknowledging them with a deliberate nod and small smile.

"Welcome back," Edward replied with curiosity, having seen me falter for a split second, while Alice stayed silent. "Were you able to help Sam?" he inquired, turning slightly to face Carlisle.

The good doctor nodded cheerfully. "Yes, once he shifted back to human again, I was able to reset the fractured femur and fit a brace so it heals properly." He then frowned to himself. "I'll have to make another visit sometime soon, though, as something is preventing his system from healing at the usual nominal rate. I wonder if the morphine I gave him had any effect, or if the high temperature…." he trailed off, absorbed in his own thoughts, as his eyebrows pulled together in concentration.

Edward rolled his eyes, mildly amused. "We can check up on him in an hour of you'd prefer."

Carlisle blinked, returning back to his senses, then smiled widely again. "I'd greatly appreciate the company, thank you."

I slowly spun around to address the two vampires engrossed in their own conversation. "Will you excuse us please?" I requested cordially—I wanted to ask Alice some questions. Edward and Carlisle exchanged looks with her, gauging her reaction for an answer.

"Of course," Edward smoothly replied, glancing back to the blonde vampire and disappearing into the house together.

It was eerily quiet as we stood still, save for her beating heart, as if the forest was seemingly holding its breath in anticipation—a predator was alone with its prey. "Hello again, Alice," I said once I'd gathered my thoughts, breaking the silence first, being mindful not to show too much of my teeth.

Each inhale of air was pure pain.

She looked tense—her body was rigid with stress. "Hi, Bella," Alice mumbled shyly, stiffly shifting her weight onto one of her legs—the way she said my name prefaced the fear that welled within her.

Was she purposely trying to tempt me? In those two little words, she'd blown her unadulterated scent straight into my face, where I could _taste_ her on the tip of my tongue….

I gestured for her to start walking toward the open lawn with a sweeping motion of my arm before I think of doing anything stupid. Her heart thudded a little bit faster as she hastily stepped off the porch and strode across the immense clearing while I trailed noiselessly behind. She was abnormally graceful for a human—I never noticed until now. I randomly wondered if she took dancing lessons.

God, she smelled _good_.

We finally stopped near the edge of the lawn, a few dozen feet away from the house. At least it gave the illusion of privacy—I suspected the Cullens would be listening in, either out of curiosity or for her safety's sake. Not that they could do anything regardless.

Alice played with her fingers, twisting them against each other, her eyes glued down to the glossy black rain boots that covered her small feet. Nervous.

I drew a fiery breath. "Edward tells me you have the ability to see into the future. That's quite a unique gift," I began straight to the point as my thoughts flashed back to the memory.

" _Thanks,_ Edward," she muttered under her breath, instantly becoming horrified when she realized she said that aloud.

There was a low, throaty chortle that I immediately identified as Emmett which originated from inside the house, but other than that, there were no noises from any of the other Cullens.

I had to laugh just a little—simply because her expression of horror was quite endearing. She obviously has never seen _true_ horror. "I wouldn't worry about it, Alice. He still would've heard the words in your head," I reminded.

A small blush rapidly spread throughout her dainty cheeks, accompanied by an intensification of her mouthwatering scent. I tried ignoring it by quickly shifting my focus on asking her questions.

"So," I continued a little too quickly, as if the little interruption never happened. "Would you mind indulging me on how your gift works?"

Alice finally glanced up, her dark hazel eyes staring right at me, indifferent to the light drizzle of rain that had begun and splashed her face. She'd turned her body enough so that we were opposite of each other. The mist dewed up on the impermeable outer layer of her jacket and eventually rolled along her body down toward the ground, overcome with its own weight.

I stood patiently for her to start talking, but Alice remained quiet; she seemed distracted, and her eyes had a faraway look to them. I arched an eyebrow up at her, shooting her a quizzical look.

"I'm not really sure how it works," Alice suddenly blurted out, her blush deepening further—which was a peculiar reaction. She momentarily closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. She opened them and looked at me.

"I get these random images or… or _visions_ of something happening—kinda like watching a scene from an unfamiliar movie, but instead, it's playing in my head. Sometimes, they're out of focus and hard to see, and other times they're clear as day," she explained in a single exhale; her soprano voice quavered at times when she spoke.

It was difficult to comprehend—and believe—that such a gift existed, not to mention the unmistakable fact she was still human. Unsurprisingly, I drew parallels to the nearly-identical position that Alice currently faced—being human, having a unique capability that already began manifesting itself, and meeting a coven of vampires. The potential and possibilities and that would be unlocked if she were to join the Volturi—I pondered what Aro would think. I was absolutely certain that he'd be delighted to meet her. Speaking of which, it was beyond a shadow of a doubt that Alice would offer an unparalleled advantage to the Volturi as another addition to the vast arsenal of unique gifts if she became one of us. The question remained, however, and it was rather important, was if she wanted to join.

Of course, there was always the chance that her gift wouldn't directly correlate and develop when she turned, but judging by the way it was already influencing her, my doubts were infinitesimal.

On a side note, I noticed there was something evidently troubling Alice—frightening her. She seemed afraid—and I couldn't perceive whether it was due to the unknowns about her gift, or my mere presence, or some wholly different other reason. If she were to become a vampire, however, I'd wager most of her fears would greatly diminish, along with petty human worries, and she'd be able to concentrate on understanding her visions and their implications. Granted, I couldn't blame her for being scared—her gift wasn't comparable to anything I've heard of. It defied 'normal' expectations—if predicting gifts could have a sense of normality.

I inhaled again, and I wondered if standing in the middle of a burning forest had the same effect. I didn't think so. This had to be worse.

"And that's how you realized I was being attacked?" I resumed. My inner reflection had taken all but two seconds—barely noticable.

Alice managed a humorless smile. "I didn't _actually_ see you being attacked. I wasn't even trying to look for you—I only knew something was wrong when you appeared in my head for a split second, then disappeared from my vision." She then glowered toward the forest. "But I suspected the wolves were involved. And I was right." Just a hint of disdain on the word _wolves_.

I couldn't hide my grin. She didn't like those wolves either. "How'd you figure that?"

Her eyebrows pulled together in concentration, and again, she stared right into my eyes without immediately looking away—which was abnormal for a human. "I tried focusing on you after getting that glimpse, but all I was getting were… flashes—sort of like brief images—and one of them had a wolf in it," she explained matter-of-factly.

"That's extraordinary." I had to give her some credit—her gift was beyond unique, it was something I'd never remotely heard of despite the Volturi's extensive history.

She glowered at the ground absentmindedly. "Extraordinarily bad luck," she mumbled quietly to herself, and I frowned internally. Did she view her gift as a liability, then? Or did she mean something else? I always saw my own as a woven, integral part of my being—something that could be trained to provide an edge rather than an annoyance.

I made a note to myself about her reaction, and resumed my inquiry. "When did you realize you had this gift?"

"I've had it for as long as I can remember," said Alice.

I found myself getting used to the burn in my throat. The flames didn't lessen each time I drew a breath, but it was slowly becoming more tolerable. The distraction of asking her questions certainly helped.

"What about your human family? Do they know of your ability?"

She visibly flinched. "Yes."

In that brief answer, I could hear unmistakable sadness in her inflection. And, strangely enough, I felt an impulsive urge to reach out and reassure her, to hold her by the shoulders and say everything was going to be okay. This caught me off guard—I never usually had these types of thoughts. Perhaps it was some innate pity reaction—my human instincts were being dredged up and brought to the forefront of my mind because I was spending so much time with her.

"What's wrong?" I probed, curious for more details. Again, strangely enough, my voice automatically became gentler without conscious decision.

"A lot of things," she sighed wearily and her shoulders slumped forward, like she was suddenly very tired. She rolled her weight onto the opposite leg and turned to examine a massive Douglas fir nearby, its leaves glistening with water like crystals. "My family being one of them."

"If they know about vampires, I can solve your problem rather easily," I offered quite bluntly. And I would if they did know regardless—the law is the law. Anyways, a few vampires and a human wasn't remotely enough to stop me.

Her eyes flashed to my face. "No! Of course they don't know," Alice squeaked frightfully. "Besides, they—they don't know where I am."

"Your family don't know about the fact you're living with a coven?" I asked dubiously, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

She shook her head. "I haven't seen any of them in over a year," she said quietly. "And I… didn't necessarily tell them where I was heading." The subdued dejection behind her voice was clear as day.

I made an effort to soften my voice again. "Where are they now?"

"Biloxi." Upon the look of confusion I gave her, she clarified her response. "It's in Mississippi."

Her answer took me off guard. Though my knowledge of the geography of the United States was rudimentary, I knew that Mississippi was _far_. Much further away than I'd imagined from our current location. And assuming that Alice left Biloxi, she would've nearly traveled the entire diagonal length of the country. Quite a remarkable feat, especially if she was travelling alone.

"And you're sure they aren't aware of the existence of vampires?" I inquired seriously, making sure I guarded once again—none of the surprise I felt from before leaked into my question.

"Yes, I promise. I know the law. And I only met the Cullens a few months ago, long after I left."

I nodded slowly, accepting her answer—it was clear she was telling the truth. It wasn't like she had much to gain by lying; on the other hand, she had so much more to lose if she did. And, being a vampire usually meant that we were excellent at discerning between honesty and dishonesty—with our incredible sense of hearing, we could pick up on miniscule speech and voice patterns.

I moved onto the next question I had in mind. "Do you miss them—your human family?"

"No, not really—except my sister," she faintly corrected herself, becoming even more glum.

Frustratingly, for some indiscernible reason, I felt another unusual urge to try and cheer her up, possibly because I was sympathetic to her situation, having been through something similar of my own. This conversation was clearly making her upset. And seeing how I've already strained my new relationship with the Cullens, I decided to change the subject. I didn't want to provoke them any further with my interrogation.

"But at least you have the Cullens," I reminded lightly. For the first time since we'd began talking, she smiled—an actual, genuine smile that made her look like she was beaming. She seemed completely different—she had the appearance of a person with a sincere sense of happiness. Seeing this change in demeanor involuntarily elicited a small grin from myself as well. "Speaking from personal experience, with a close-knit coven like yours, you feel like family to one another."

"I know. I'm lucky to have such a caring group of people look after me," she answered honestly, the relief and gratitude just in the mere pitch of her voice was almost palpable. It revealed how close she had become with the Cullens, and how comfortable she was around them.

"They're vegetarians, too. That's a plus. You don't have to worry about them trying to drink your blood—only the rest of us," I joked.

Alice, to my surprise, rolled her eyes at me. "Good thing I have my cross and garlic ready," she muttered sarcastically. Just a hint of steel in her inflection. I had to smirk a little at her response. She was a bit defensive of her vampires— _I_ definitely understood and related to that specific train of thought.

I felt a sense of relief that Alice had slowly but surely grown more comfortable around me, having relaxed her former tense posture. She was willing to be herself—evidenced by how she rolled her eyes at me, of all people. If she were frightened, she wouldn't have expressed her emotions in such an open fashion, would she? I gathered it was a shaky, hesitant form of trust, if I could even call it that, but it was developing.

"So, Carlisle told me that there were 'disagreements' with the Quileutes about you living amongst the Cullens. Would you care to elaborate?"

Alice winced reflexively. "They… weren't too thrilled to find out that I was living with—" she had difficulty saying the word "—vampires. Flat out opposed it, actually," she admitted.

The corners of my mouth turned down. "What'd they do?" I asked evenly.

"Nothing, nothing," Alice quickly tried to persuade in a nonchalant manner, which only served to arouse my suspicion further. She bit her lip and confessed once she saw my expression. "Um. They _may_ have threatened me and the Cullens—but only a little," she hastily amended, as if that would lessen the severity of the situation.

I stared up at the ominous-looking sky, thinking. While doing so, a quick observation of the collection of dense dark-gray clouds led me to believe it was going to rain soon. "Hmm. It appears we have a real nuisance on our hands." I glanced back at Alice. "Well, _my_ hands at least," I corrected.

"Please don't hurt them," she pleaded. "They're not bad. They want to—" she struggled to find the right words "—protect people… and preserve human life from vampires at any cost."

This wild werewolf population was more troublesome than I could've ever imagined. I'd accepted the fact that these abnormal wolves killed vampires. It seemed like a natural-born part of their pack instinct—however natural hunting mythical creatures could be.

However, it bothered me more than I'd care to admit that—if what Alice said was true, and I saw no obvious reason to doubt her—these wolves were harassing the Cullens, Alice included. I only held this sentimentality because of the Cullens' passive lifestyle. Sure, with traditional vampires, I could understand all bets were off. But upon meeting Carlisle, it was glaringly apparent that he was compassionate toward humans, going so far to argue he was a pacifist of sorts—he worked in a human hospital as a doctor, around open cuts and blood, to help mend their frail, weak bodies if that wasn't enough irrefutable proof.

On the other hand, I couldn't necessarily blame the wolves entirely for their behavior. It was entirely possible that loathing vampires was somehow ingrained in their genetics, though I must admit that my theory did not seem all that likely. A semi-unconscious hatred appeared a lot more promising—the revolting scent that they gave off that heavily affected me could imply I reciprocated in the same fashion, and thus we both had an instinctive mutual dislike for each other. It reminded me of the psychological theory of food aversion among humans—a bad memory with a particular piece of food while young often led to a lifetime of avoidance; the same concept could be applied. It was safe to say that these wolves believed it was their duty to protect themselves and humans from my kind. And I suspected the only reason they allowed the Cullens to be so close to their home was due to their "vegetarian" lifestyle.

I blinked myself out of my internal monologue. Thankfully, the entire thought process only took a few seconds, and I didn't think Alice noticed.

"Have they harmed any of you?" I continued my interrogation like an officer upon learning of a serious infraction.

"No, of course not. They're not stupid enough to attack us while our numbers are at a close stalemate." Alice suddenly realized something important that she had revealed. "You're not thinking of changing that, are you?" she warily interjected.

As much as I would _love_ to teach those disgusting wolves some lessons in manners and break the current numerical impasse, I didn't want to do it alone, even with all the Cullens by my side. It wasn't that I didn't trust their fighting capabilities—I'm sure they're competent—but it was more so that I didn't want to wipe out the indigenous werewolf population without first consulting my family and the guard. Plus, they'd miss out on all the fun if we did go through with it.

I sighed heavily. "Ultimately, the decision to intervene isn't up to me. It's up to the consultation of my family, mainly Aro. I'm just debating whether or not to inform him of my discoveries once I return to Volterra, or risk having them discover the wolves themselves. Which, in that case, could mean consequences for not telling them beforehand. And they _are_ killing vampires, Alice. My family doesn't exactly tolerate werewolves murdering our kind. Caius _despises_ them," I chuckled darkly.

"Don't tell them then," Alice suggested cheerfully, unabashed. "Let them figure it out on their own."

I arched one of my eyebrows upward, incredulous. "Are you trying to convince me to circumvent the law?" A muted but menacing growl rumbled from my chest, causing her to take two immediate automatic steps back. "Because that would be a _really_ bad idea." I bared my teeth just a little.

Of course, I was still in control of myself. I only wanted to toy with Alice a little by scaring her. She really didn't believe that I would personally break the law, did she?

The human in question swallowed loudly. "Umm—" she stammered, heart pounding wildly "—forget I said anything."

Despite feeling a bit guilty, I still laughed lightly at her terrified expression. "It's alright, Alice, calm down. I wasn't planning to tell them anyway—I believe this issue can be amiably solved without requiring their involvement," I hurriedly reassured and upon hearing this, she made a face directed at me—an almost imperceivable mixture of annoyance and anger. Of course, it was rightfully deserved for scaring her too much.

"Although," I continued, my voice shifting abruptly from amusement to absolute seriousness. "If it doesn't, it _may_ result in some of my friends coming down for a nice visit. But that's worse-case scenario."

"I hope not," Alice mumbled to herself.

"What? You're not at all eager to meet my Volturi friends?" I teased, clearly feigning hurt in my appearance. In the back of my mind, the reference to my coven reminded me of something that I'd wished to ask her earlier.

"Not really, no," she deadpanned.

"Even if you become one of us?" I offered.

Alice blinked in shock several times. "What?" Surprise colored her tone.

"Would you consider joining the Volturi? Your gift would be an irreplaceable and invaluable asset to us once it fully develops."

A muted hiss in protest—I couldn't tell who it came from—rang sharply from the house and quickly died away. I ignored it, and focused my attention on scrutinizing the human standing in front of me. Waiting.

Alice's hazel eyes widened with bewilderment and fear, then darted around as if she was searching for something, clearly avoiding my gaze. "Umm…." She understandably hesitated and bit her lip, deliberating.

I gave her an apathetic shrug. "You don't have to make a decision right now. It's an open invitation."

Alice chewed her bottom lip some more and studied at her boots before answering. "Thank you, but no thank you," she managed in her soprano voice rather firmly—but politely, too—and stared straight up at me.

I ducked my head in resignation. "That's a shame. We would have truly enjoyed your company. Ah well, perhaps you'll change your mind once you have the opportunity to think about it in your free time. This offer is not something to be taken lightly."

"Sure," Alice replied unconvincingly.

I certainly had taken enough time away from Alice and the Cullens with my lengthy interview, though I was glad to have done it. I gleaned a myriad of crucial details that would be beneficial to reference in the near future. Plus, this face-to-face opportunity allowed me to gauge Alice and further build upon her character.

Aro will be pleased about this "once-in-a-lifetime" discovery, as I'm sure he'll call it—however, given that vampires are immortal and all that, it was more luck of finding such a gift than anything else.

"Shall we?" I signaled for us to return by looking pointedly at the pale, rectangular house.

Alice nodded gratefully and, at long last, we started our walk back. I could tell we'd been standing still for a while—her strides were stiff-legged, as if she was just regaining the sense of feeling back.

Without warning, a mellow breeze unexpectedly blew downwind in our direction from the forest and with it, carried several new, unfamiliar smells—and they were undoubtedly vampire. Oh shit.

"Get behind me," I fiercely ordered and instead of waiting for a reply, shoved her as gently as I could manage without breaking her arms like twigs closer to my heels. In that same second, I threw my shield outward and quickly morphed it into a balloon, enveloping us both in its protective properties.

Alice's heart stuttered with surprise—I swear, the poor girl was going to suffer a heart attack at some point and I wasn't helping the situation—and rapidly accelerated. "What's going on?" she trilled as I automatically scanned my surroundings.

I could feel her human body emanating its pleasant warmth and coupled with her irresistible chocolate scent, it threatened to overpower me. Distracting. I calmly cleared my head. My cool composure and focus reflected years of exposure to Volturi efficiency and appearance.

"I don't know yet. But I can smell a few vampires coming our way," I curtly whispered under my breath back. Remember, the wind had shifted course and prefaced the potential dangers by bringing the scent through the woods ahead of the actual source.

I didn't have to wait long. Four pairs of feet briskly ran toward us and they were trailing behind somebody swinging from tree to tree approximately twenty feet high off the ground. To my knowledge, they didn't know where we were, or that they'd been discovered; they stayed true to their original course, a few degrees to the right of my current bearing, which meant they would emerge about ten feet away once they reached the lawn.

A blonde vampire with a hint of red in her hair, similar to that of strawberry, somersaulted through the air like a rocket and landed perfectly on her feet with a muffled thud. She spun around to meet the remaining four vampires emerging from the forest with a triumphant smile but stopped halfway once she noticed Alice and I standing motionless nearby and swiftly sank into a defensive crouch.

Her lips curled back, flashing her pearly white teeth, and glared right at me.

What startled me were her golden eyes.

 **A/N: Ah, you made it! Yeah, this chapter was focused more on Bella's interrogation of Alice and the implications of her gift** — **a relatively short chapter** **. But I wonder who the new vampires are? (Hint: it's pretty obvious). Also, I wonder what will happen with a certain former Volturi vampire and Bella?**


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